


The You I Knew

by The_Bluejay_55



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Action/Adventure, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 01:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 53,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23106640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Bluejay_55/pseuds/The_Bluejay_55
Summary: There's always a before. Always an after. Some change you. Some don't. But everything you've ever done, can be divided with these two words.Before your boyfriend is murdered. After.Jay Walker is slowly learning to cope with this newfound reality. But as he searches for closure, he begins to realize he did not know the person he loved as well as he'd thought. Bruiseshipping AU
Relationships: Bruiseshipping - Relationship
Comments: 23
Kudos: 84





	1. Moving On and Other Impossibilities

CHAPTER ONE- Moving On and Other Impossibilities  
**A F T E R**

Jay hated living in the After.  


After the best moments of his life. After love. After _Cole _.  
__

Reality was painfully surreal. Jay felt like he was trapped in a nightmare. It had been a month, yet it was still so easy to believe he would, at any moment, _wake up_. Wake up to Cole’s lips. To bubbles of overflowing happiness. To the tug of a smile upon his lips.  


_Wake up, freckles._ Jay could hear Cole’s voice. _It’s getting late_.  


Jay could imagine opening his eyes. A bit reluctantly. A bit eagerly.  


Cole’s smile would be there, just for him. Those comforting eyes that always held a mischievous twinkle. An expression that held all the love in the world.  


For a moment, Jay melted into his daydream. For a moment, there was no after.  


Then, his cell phone rang.  


He blinked himself back into reality. Back into the painful void his life had become. Jay had never noticed how much effort it took to simply be. Every breath felt like a struggle.  


“Hello?” Jay had also never noticed how much effort it took to talk. It didn’t help that his throat was beyond dry. When was the last time he’d had anything to drink?  


_Weren’t you going to come over today? I’ve been waiting since 2!_ Nya’s voice was somehow both gentle and firm. Leave it to her to find the perfect mix. Miss I-have-everything-together.  


Jay dug his nails onto his palms. No. He couldn’t be bitter. Not at her. Nya was only trying to help. Nya was only doing her best. Jay was an ungrateful brat that probably deserved the heartbreak. “I missed the bus.”  


_I could pick you up._  


Jay almost scoffed. _Sorry Nya,_ he thought. _I meant to say I missed the bus on purpose._ “That’s okay. We can just hang out some other time.”  


_I was hoping we could go see Cole’s dad. He’s been clearing out Cole’s stuff. He has some things you might want._  


Yeah. Because what Jay needed was physical reminders of his dead boyfriend.  


Even thinking the word made Jay’s mind falter. Dead. _Dead_. Tears blurred his vision. The breath rushed from his lungs. It was as if he were learning the news all over again. Jay would never be able to forget the voice of Cole’s father, cracked in all the wrong places, grief accenting each syllable with a cruel stab.  


_Jay, I don’t- I don’t really know how to say this._ The words had been a punch in the gut. Jay had known, even without hearing Cole’s dad say it. He’d wanted to toss the phone away. Wanted to smash it to pieces. Anything to keep himself from hearing the words.  


_Jay? You still there?_ Nya. Nya. The present. The After. _We don’t have to see Cole’s dad. I could just cover over. Please?_  


Jay was too tired to argue. “Okay. Sounds great. We can both sit in silence and wonder about what the point of living even really is.”  


_Jay . . ._ Nya sighed. Annoyed. Frustrated. Tired of him. Tired of holding him up. _I’ll be there in ten._  


“I’ll be here.” Jay said, before hanging up.  


He stared at the phone. Cole was still his wallpaper. Jay should probably change that. It would be the healthy thing to do. Wouldn’t it?  


It might also be a good idea to delete their messages. So he would no longer be tempted to glance back at them, to make himself feel worse. Cole’s final words to him only made him spiral. And it was always hard to come back.  


_Let’s run away together. Out of the city. Forever!_  


The message was marked as _Sunday, 2:57 A.M._  


Jay had been asleep. By the time he’d replied ( _Haha . . . okay?_ ) it was already too late. It was already After.  


Would anything have changed, if Jay had been awake? If he’d answered on time? If he’d called? Probably. Definitely.  


Jay slipped into some clothes. They were dirty, but they at least allowed him to look somewhat presentable. He didn’t they think they smelled too bad.  


To top it off, he crawled into Cole’s hoodie. It was three sizes too big, as Cole’s frame had been considerably larger when compared to Jay’s own.  


Jay took a slow whiff of the fabric, as he fell back onto his couch.  


_You need to start bringing your own jacket, freckles_. Jay heard Cole’s voice, felt his arms wrapped tight around him, to keep him warm in a cold day. _I’m going to get sick one of these days. Then what?_  


_Then I’ll make you all better,_ Jay would probably reply with a quick, playful kiss.  


Except Jay _couldn’t_ make it all better. Cole was gone, and he was not coming back. Jay could scream and cry and tear himself apart all he wanted. But death . . . was death. Death was final.  


“What the hell were you doing, Cole?” Jay hissed, draping one arm over his eyes. He needed to get up. He needed to hide all evidence of his seemingly permanent breakdown from Nya’s eyes. But Jay couldn’t.  


“Didn’t you think I needed you? Because I do. I really do, I always will. I hate you, you know? Leaving me like this. Was it easy? Quick? _Bang! Bang!_ No more Cole.”  


It had been on the news. Jay didn’t know why he’d watched. Morbid curiosity? The desire to make something that _already_ hurt, hurt more? For punishment?  


_In the lively darkness of Ninjago City’s streets, tragedy occurred._ The newsperson’s voice sounded empty. Neutrally detached. Jay could relate. _At approximately 4 in the morning last night, a young man was shot and killed in what seems to be a random assault._  


_As far as we know, nothing of value was taken._ Here, the woman had paused, pushing a sliver of her hair back behind her ear. _Although this seems to be an isolated incident, authorities advise citizens on the west side of Ninjago City to take extra precautions when traveling at night._  


And that had been it. Cole had died. His whole world, ended. It had taken bits and pieces from Jay’s world too. And it had all somehow been reduced to a 3 minute long news report. 2 minutes and 48 seconds, if you didn’t round up.  


It felt wrong. _Everything_ felt wrong.  


_Died of a broken heart._ You heard that phrase all the time, in stories, in poems, in songs. Jay had always thought it to be overly dramatic. And now, well, now he was well on his way to join the statistics.  


_Things suck, but you keep going, you know?_ Jay had said once, leaning over Cole’s shoulder to peek at the novel he was reading. _Your body isn’t going to just shut down because things are sad. It’s a body. It doesn’t have feelings._  


_I’m pretty sure there’s some sort of science behind the statement._ Cole had replied, shutting the book. His fingers remained between the pages. It was rare to see him without words in hand. _I mean, like the power of suggestion, right? The mind can sometimes heal the body without medicine if it believes it’s got medicine. Therefore, the mind can destroy the body too._  


_You’re just a nerd. An overly romantic book nerd._  


_And you’re a boring science fanboy. With your little tools, and your little hands._  


There was a knock on Jay’s door. Then a key twisted the lock.  


“Hey, hey.” Nya opened the door enthusiastically. “How’s my favorite inventor?”  


“Alive, I guess.” Jay shrugged, allowing himself to be pulled up into a hug. “So . . . what’s . . . up?”  


“I was thinking we could go grab a bite.” Nya grimaced. “Or . . . maybe I could help you with your laundry. Yuck, Jay.”  


Jay shrugged again, falling back against the couch. “Not the hoodie though.”  


“Really, Jay?” Nya rolled her eyes.  


“Yes, really! I just . . . I need more time, okay? I know it’s dumb and weird and gross and a bunch of other words, but . . . I can’t. I’m still- It still- . . . I don’t want him to be gone. I- I just . . . I _can’t_.”  


Jay’s TV flickered on suddenly, screen frizzled with garbled static. Without missing a beat, Nya reached to turn it off. “Okay, Jay. Let me wash up everything else though. And please take a shower, yeah? Then I’ll order some food. We can stay in and watch some movies.”  


“Okay. I could go for that.”  


Jay allowed himself to be led to the bathroom. It was a cramped little space, just like everything else in the ever-bustling city. His eyes flickered to the mirror. Boy, did he look awful. He looked away.  


“ . . . Jay?”  


“Hmm?”  


“How’s . . . the _other_ issue been?” Nya bit her lip, staring at Jay’s fingertips with a combination of fright and excitement. “Anymore incidents? Besides making electronics go nuts?”  


“No.” Jay shoved his hands into the pocket of Cole’s hoodie. “Like I told you, it’s nothing. Coincidences. You couldn’t have seen what you thought you saw.”  


“Okay. Sure. Let’s say I _didn’t_ see electricity shooting from your hands.” Nya said. “Streetlights still don’t just _explode_. At least not simultaneously, all around you, while you’re overwhelmed with emotions. I’m telling you it’s-“  


“It didn’t happen! It couldn’t have happened. I’m not some superhero, and this is not some tragic origin story. I’m just a very broken guy who smells like garbage. The only extraordinary thing about me, is how ordinary I am.”  


Nya looked like she wanted to push it. Before Cole’s death, she probably would have. Her curiosity was insatiable. Stubborn. Relentless.  


But this was After. The rules were different here. So she let it go, stepping back so Jay could shut the bathroom door.  


Once he was alone, Jay slipped his hands out of the hoodie. He lifted them closer to his eyes. There were random arrays of freckles sprinkled over the pale skin.  


_You’ve got the softest hands of anyone I’ve ever met._ A memory of Cole rose to the surface. Jay could almost feel Cole’s fingers entwining with his. I never want to let them go.  


But he had let go. Forever.  


A spark flickered in between the index and middle finger of his left hand. Jay clenched it shut, extinguishing it in an instant. He let his eyes drift back toward the mirror.  


“I’m going crazy without you, Cole.” Jay said. “Very, very crazy.”  


* * *

  
**B E F O R E **  
****

**  
**  
**   
**

Cole was late. Like always.  


Jay stirred his drink. The iced water and the tea had begun to separate. Jay tried not to act antsy. But he couldn’t help himself. He still couldn’t believe Cole really was dating him.  


Jay had never been anyone’s first choice. Romantically, or otherwise. Girlfriend, boyfriend, Jay had never expected them to be part of his reality. Longing from a distance? Sure. Blushing at awkward interactions? Any day! _That’s_ what he had grown to expect. But dating? Holding hands? _Kissing!?_  


It was unreal. Thus, Jay was in a constant state of doubt.  


The door to the Café swung open. Jay’s head snapped up, his eyes flooding with hope.  


Cole walked inside. His brown skin was flushed, hair tangled up by the wind. Jay caught a flash of something in Cole’s eyes. Steel-like resolve. Almost predatory. Goosebumps traveled up Jay’s arms.  


The look faded quickly, the moment Cole’s eyes found Jay’s. It was replaced by the warm gaze Jay always swooned for. It was the type of look that just made him feel _safe_. Cole accompanied the look with a smile. “Hey. Sorry. Did I make you wait long?”  


“Not at all! I just got here.” _Just got here an hour ago, because I was anxious about being late. Ha-ha. Don’t worry about it! I’m not a weirdo or anything!_ “So? What’s up?”  


“Nothing interesting.” Cole chuckled, planting a quick kiss on Jay’s lips before sitting down. “How about you? How’s college treating you?”  


“That’s a heavy question, Cole. You shouldn’t ask that unless you’re ready for a five hour rant session. No breaks in between, either.”  


“That bad?”  


“ _That_ bad.” Jay sighed. “I’m just still not sure about my major. I hate having to commit. There’s so much, you know? I know I want to be an engineer, sure. But do you know how many types of engineering there are? I’m leaning towards bioengineering today, but robotics could be more attractive tomorrow. Plus, I can’t remember the last time I got a decent amount of sleep.”  


“Hmm. Want to know my input as a very, very educated therapist that definitely did not drop out of high school?”  


“Yes. Please. Fix my life.”  


“You, my dear little freckled angel, need some caffeine. Maybe a very sugary pastry too. After that, a walk in the park. Sunlight is always good.” Cole squeezed Jay’s hand. “We can talk about the pros and cons of all your options. Maybe I can help you narrow things down.”  


“Okay. You’re sure you don’t want to just decide for me though?”  


“Yeah, I’m sure.” Cole chuckled. “I can pick a coffee for you though.”  


“Well, I guess that’s _one_ decision off my hands.” Jay said. “What about you? What’s going on with you?”  


“Honestly, nothing.” Cole shrugged. “Working. Paying bills. Boring stuff of your average nobody.”  


“It’s always nothing with you.” Jay pouted. “You’re basically my portable diary, and I don’t even know where you live.”  


“Trust me.” Cole said. “There’s nothing worth telling.”  


* * *

**A F T E R **  
****

**  
**  
**   
**

_There’s nothing worth telling._  


How many times had Cole said those words?  


“I wish you’d known that, to me, _everything_ was worth telling.” Jay was laying on his bed. Night had fallen long ago, and Nya had gone, too. Jay’s blue eyes stared at nothing in particular. He couldn’t find the strength to sleep. “Everything about you was interesting. I could listen to you talk about anything! The way you brushed your hair and why, the process that went into your choice of clothing . . . _anything_.”  


Jay slipped his hands into the pocket of the hoodie.  


“What would you have said about my newfound little power? Would you finally share your secrets, if I’d shown you? Probably not. You were a jerk, you know.” Jay’s voice wavered. He bit his lip. He wouldn’t cry. If he cried, he’d get thirsty, and they he’d get a headache, and they he’d feel like chewed up gum in the morning.  


He focused on breathing. Focused on anything but Cole. The way his AC unit sputtered, struggling to keep the apartment cool. The freshly washed laundry folded beside him. The fabric of Cole’s hoodie . . . no, no, not Cole’s hoodie. He couldn’t think about-  


Jay shot up into a sitting position. He shifted his fingers again. There was something beneath them. There was something in Cole’s hoodie.  


_There was something in Cole’s hoodie._  


Jay peeled it off him desperately. His arms tangled up in it, and he stumbled off the bed. Wild curls stood every which way as it left his head. Jay tossed it onto the bed, feeling around again for the bulk he had felt.  


It was . . . _in_ the hoodie. Sewn into the fabric, with stitches small enough to seem almost part of the design. Jay tugged at them with no avail. He let his hands drop. “Scissors. Yes. Scissors. Do I have scissors?”  


He ran around his apartment, flinging drawers open, shuffling through paid bills and forgotten assignments. Crayons, pencils, and even crumpled up bags of chips. No scissors.  


“A knife . . . but . . . “Jay bounced on his toes. He wanted to see whatever was inside. But the thought of slicing up Cole’s hoodie made his heart hurt.  


The hoodie lay on the bed, patiently awaiting his final decision. Dozens of memories had been sewn onto the fabric. An answer, a mystery, had been stitched _within_. Curiosity beat sentimentality. Jay paced over to the kitchen.  


He only had one knife. It wasn’t the sharpest, by any means, but he was too lazy (stingy) to buy a better one. He hadn’t even bought this one, either. He’d only swiped it from his mom’s kitchen right before he had moved out.  


With the knife on one hand and a trembling fist in the other, Jay approached the hoodie. He must have made quite the sight.  


“Sorry, Cole. I’ll totally buy you another one. Ha. _Why_ am I not funny?” Jay shook his head, before digging the knife into the extra stitches.  


He ripped the fabric open. Only enough to slide out whatever was within.  


A small container slid into his hand. It was in the shape of a tube, painted black so he couldn’t see what was inside. Jay popped the lid off. Carefully slid out the contents onto his bed.  


There was a note. And a flash drive.  


really trust the internet these days? Hmm.”  


Jay’s hands were shaking. He didn’t know why. He stared at the note. He wanted to read it, but at the same time, he wanted it to go away. The indecision rooted him to the spot.  


Finally, finally, Jay forced his hand to move. He unfolded the note. Cole’s handwriting stared back at him. The tears he’d tried to fight, overwhelmed him. Without reading the words, Jay ran his finger over the paper.  


Cole had touched it. Held it. Maybe not too long before he’d been shot. Maybe this little piece of paper was the last thing Cole had ever touched.  


But it wasn’t a goodbye. It wasn’t a secret message. It was-  


An address.  


Jay recognized the name. _Mojo Dojo._ He’d walked past it before. Some type of martial arts school. It was always empty.  


Beneath the address, scribbled in a panic, was a final array of words.  


_They found him. It’s time._


	2. The Problem with Dating the Mysterious Stranger

**CHAPTER TWO** \- The Problem with Dating the Mysterious Stranger  
**AFTER**

“It’s definitely odd I’ll grant you that.” Nya reached to take the container from Jay’s hands. She inspected its contents. She frowned at the words, then fidgeted with the flash drive. “Have you seen what’s in it?’  


They were in a small park, sitting across from each other on the grass. Jay reached over to take Cole’s stuff from her. He felt obsessively attached to the little objects. “No. It’s got a password. I was thinking we could go to the dojo. Maybe whoever is there will know what to do with it.”  


“Then?”  


“Then . . . what?”  


“What’s the endgame in this? What are you going to gain from seeing what’s in there? From following this very ominous paper?”  


“Didn’t you read the paper? _They found him. It’s time_. Okay, so obviously, Cole was caught up in something. Something dangerous, considering he worked pretty hard to hide this thing. If we can follow the trail then-“Jay took a breath. The words had rushed from him, sounds tripping over one another in a desperate attempt to be heard. “Then maybe we can make things right.”  


“Make things right? Like find his killer type of right?”  


“Maybe.”  


“And if it gets you killed, too? You think Cole would have wanted that?”  


Jay was silent. Nya put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m as down for adventure as anyone but . . . I’m just worried about you. This isn’t exactly ‘moving on’, you know? I don’t- I’m not the best at emotions but I don’t know how healthy this is.”  


“It’s closure. Acceptance.” Jay waved his arms, as if the gestures would help get his point across. “You know? The six stages of grief?”  


“It’s five, Jay.”  


“Yeah, well, I went through denial twice.” Jay huffed. “Please Nya. I think I need this. Let’s just go to the dojo. If we don’t find anything, I’ll drop it.”  


“And if we do find something? You promise you’ll be okay?”  


“I promise.”  


“No electric breakdowns?”  


“Not even a spark.”  


Nya crossed her arms, trying to seem like she was weighing her options. But Jay could see the spark of excitement growing stronger in her eyes. She wanted to pursue this as badly as he did. Jay held the container up, shaking in the sunlight with an encouraging smile. “So . . .?”  


“Okay.” Nya said. “Let’s see what this little dojo has in store for us. Lead the way, Jay.”  


“Yes ma’am! Will do! Let me just . . . look it up . . . really quickly . . .” Jay fumbled around with his phone. His hands shook as he typed out the address. He’d memorized it, of course. He couldn’t get enough of Cole’s writing.  


With a victorious whoop that was far too loud for a public setting, Jay pointed to the left side of the street. “And now, we’re off. On a perilous journey. Which will only last two blocks. A bit anticlimactic, but what are you gonna do, I guess.”  


They began to walk along the streets of the city. Bright ads were spread throughout, advertising some product or other by OverCorp. Jay turned away, quickly, locking his eyes back onto the safety of his phone’s screen.  


Not much more than a month ago, Jay had been accepted as an intern at the technologically innovative corporation. He’d had ideas, and they’d had resources. It seemed perfect. All that was left to do, was finish school.  


Then Cole had died. And every plan, every dream, had shattered out of Jay’s mind. He hadn’t been able to finish any of his classes. Watching the world continue to turn had proved to be far too painful.  


It didn’t help that nearly half the city was owned by OverCorp. Wherever he turned, Jay got a slap full of grim reminders. _Hey, remember when you had plans? Remember when the future was exciting? Remember when life was worth living?_  


“Here we are.” Jay’s voice came out gruff and unintelligible. He cleared his throat. “Here we are!”  


Nya peeked through the display window, pressing her face against the glass. “It’s . . . empty. Do you think it’s closed?”  


“Not according to that.” Jay pointed up at a flashing sign beside the door. _OPEN_. He reached for the door handle, then pushed it open without allowing himself to hesitate  


A large, empty hall stood before him. He and Nya walked down it with hesitant steps. They were too loud, and they resembled a rhythmic countdown.  


The hall ended in a large, empty room. The display window stood on one end, and on the other, was a small shelf, where too many trophies had been wedged in. Jay supposed this was where the ‘martial arts’ happened.  


“He-Hello? Is- I’m- Anyone here?” The floor creaked beneath Jay’s feet. He approached the shelf, glancing over the trophy. They all looked to be either custom made, or for a very, very low place. One of them read _World’s Best Hairstyle_. Jay snickered. Kai would probably love that.  


“Great introduction, Jay.” Nya smirked, reaching for one of the trophies. “ _Eleventh- Bug Watching Competition_. What the heck? _Panda Petting Champion_. Wow. Whoever owns this place sounds like an absolute gem.”  


“You’d be right to think that.” Jay and Nya turned to the voice. A man stepped into the room. Everything about him could only be described with one word. Dramatic. His hair was fluffed with exaggerated volume. His smile struggled to be an alluring smolder, but it glided right past attractive and into _uncomfortable_ territory. “I am, without a doubt, a gem.”  


Jay and Nya both blinked in slow unison. There were simply no words.  


“I suppose you are here for a lesson? You’re both on the older side, but it’s never too late to learn! This, is a safe environment, yeah? You might feel a bit intimidated by me, at first, but really. No need! We all begin somewhere.”  


“Err-“ Nya said.  


“We . . .” Jay attempted.  


“Yes, yes. I see you are both in desperate need for exercise.” The man stepped far too close to Jay. He then shook his head in disappointment. “Wow. You look like you could use a good meal. I’m surprise the wind didn’t blow you away, on your way here!  


“And you miss. I imagine you’re here to add some discipline to your life. It can be hard to commit, but I promise, with all gods of fighting as my witnesses, that I will do my very best to show you the correct path.”  


“That’s not-“ Nya tried again, but her words got jumbled with Jay’s own protests.  


“I’m very willing to help you! But the first step is to admit you need the help. Well, Hmm. I suppose you coming in here counts? Why don’t you-“  


“We’re just here to drop something off!” Jay shouted, words quick. He flashed the container in the man’s face. “This. Does it mean anything to you?”  


The man stared blankly for a second. Then two. Then three. Just as Jay was about to give up with a sigh, the man’s eyes widened. He gave a shrill gasp. His eyes then ran over Jay, widening further with recognition. It was . . . unsettling. Jay was sure he had never seen the man in his life.  


“It’s- It’s _you_.” The man gaped. His head snapped from side to side, as if an enemy might just be crouching behind the dust mites. “Oh. Oh, no. No, no, no. You aren’t supposed- Oh man. Oh _boy_. I’m just! This is definitely out of my league. Garmadon. I need to get Garmadon. Why didn’t _you_ go to Garmadon!?”  


“Garmadon? I don’t know who that is. Should I?”  


“You don’t- _You don’t know who Garmadon is?_ What was Cole even _doing_ with you, then? People do their jobs all wrong because they just know I’ll bail them out. But I can’t keep-“  


“Wait! Cole! You knew Cole? What do you know about him?” Jay was overcome by desperation. He gripped the man’s clothes, pulling him closer. The lights above them flickered.  


“Of course I know Cole! He-“  


The man’s words were lost in a sudden, rather, untimely, explosion.

* * *

**BEFORE**

Jay’s senses were overwhelmed.  


He really should have known better. He had never been good in crowds. Nya had advised him not to go to the concert, much less on his own. But he’d been oh-so-bitter about her hanging out with other people. He wanted to prove he could do things, too.  


But he’d been wrong. Oh so, very, very wrong.  


The music thrummed through him. It rattled his skull, his ribcage, his teeth. Even from the very back of the venue, everything was _too much_.  


He would have slipped outside, had his legs been able to move. But Jay was rooted to the spot. His quick breaths threatened to take away his consciousness if he so much as shifted.  


The lead singer continued to sway the crowd. People on either side of Jay pressed against him as they danced, blissfully unaware of his panicked discomfort. Black dots danced around him. His throat decided to close up. _Too hot. Too hot._  


Just as he began to tip, a steady grip took hold of him. Jay’s first thought was _Nya!_ Maybe she’d ditched her other friends, swooping in to rescue him just in time. But then a voice that was not hers reached his ear, half-shouting to be heard above the crowd.  


“Do you need some air?”  


Jay couldn’t talk, but he surprised himself by managing to nod. The voice had been deep, the sound of it a grumble of comforting warmth. The strong grip led him forward. Jay clung to his savior, trying to re-train his body to breathe and function.  


The cool night air was a refreshing kiss against his overheated cheeks. Jay took a long, slow breath. He puffed up his cheeks as he forcefully exhaled.  


Slowly, Jay’s vision began to clear.  


“Better?”  


Jay looked up. The guy who’d saved him from his horrible decision stared right back. He had soft grey eyes, filled with concern so genuine, everything inside Jay’s body shook. Thick black hair swooped over the guy’s forehead, framing his features in an attractive manner. Jay couldn’t stop gaping.  


“ . . . Is that a yes?”  


“Huh?” Jay blushed, blinked, turned away. “Yes. Yeah. I’m sorry. I think I’m okay. Sorry.”  


Jay knew he was overly romantic at best. But this. _This!_ It all somehow felt like fate. He tried to keep his mind in check, but wild daydreams were already flooding his thoughts.  


“Sorry for making me miss the concert, or for staring?”  


Jay’s legs turned into jelly. The panic half-returned to him, accompanied by an old friend, embarrassment. “Ah, Aahh, B-both? I didn’t-“  


“Relax, I’m just teasing.” The stranger chuckled. Jay mimicked the laugh, but his was more nervous than attractively suave. “I’m not exactly a fan of the band. I just had nothing to do, but I didn’t want to sit at home feeling bad about my lack of social life.”  


“Me too!” Jay’s eyes lit up. “But, maybe, staying at home would have been the better idea.”  


“Maybe.” The stranger shrugged. “Or maybe, it was fate. A heroic encounter like this had to be written in the stars somewhere.”  


Jay didn’t know what to say. He felt too awkward to play along, but too mesmerized to end the conversation. “M-maybe?”  


“Teasing. Again. Sorry, I really am the worst. No wonder I haven’t made any friends, huh?” The guy held out his hand. “I’ll try to be normal though. My name’s Cole. Your average non-cape wearing hero.”  


“Jay.” Jay responded, shaking Cole’s hand. “Your average ball of anxiety.”

* * *

**AFTER**

All three of them were thrown back, along with large shards of the oversized display window.  


“ _Jay!_ What happened to no electric breakdowns!?” Nya shouted, her words mingled with a violent cough as debris and dust flowed in and out of their lungs.  


“It wasn’t me!” Jay shouted, the desperate anger inside him tampered down by the sudden turn of events. HE felt a throbbing ache on his left arm. He refused to inspect it.  


“This is way, _way_ above my paygrade!” The man shouted, standing up and dusting off his clothes. “We have to get you out of here, _fast_ kid. And once we do, you’re telling Garmadon that I deserve a raise. Or a medal!”  


“I’m still really, really confused!” Jay shouted back, allowing Nya to help him stand.  


The man made no reply to Jay’s words. His eyes were glued to the hole on the wall. He took a step back, mumbling softly about the unfairness of the situation. Jay followed his faze. Fear almost made him drop back to the ground.  


To tall, burly shapes stepped into the dojo from the street. They looked muscled and powerful, more than strong enough to snap Jay in half with a flick of their wrist. But that, that was far from the worse part.  


“I’m- I’m not hallucinating, am I?” Jay took a step back, clutching his left arm.  


“If you are, I am too.” Nya replied.  


The shapes resembled that of a human, but they were anything but. Each body was filled with thousands of slithering snakes, entwining and unwinding, moving over one another with a single mindset.  


“ _Walk-Er_.” One of the creatures spat Jay’s name. It sounded like thousands of voices hissing all at once. Which, well, it was. “ _Mi-ne_.”  


“Ah ha, no, Walker is most definitely not yours.” Jay turned toward the man. “Please, _please_ tell me there’s a back door?”  


“Yes! Yeah! Clever, kid! Back exit. No, actually. But there’s a window?” The man turned, making an attempt to leave the room. His quick move, however, triggered the creatures into attacking.  


They both leaped forward, too fast for anyone’s eyes to process. One knocked Nya against the wall, before rushing toward the man to do the same. The other took hold of Jay’s shirt, pulling him up, until he was face to face with the snakes that formed its face.  


It had no eyes, but there were two black voids the snakes kept from slithering over. Jay had the distinct impression someone was looking at him through the darkness.  


“ _You_.” The creature said.  


“Jay!” Nya’s shout was weak. “Now would be a _great_ time for an electric breakdown!”  


Jay twisted against the creature’s grip, kicking and flailing as the creature began to carry him out onto the street.  


The rising panic tipped Jay’s mind. The world slowed. Jay watched as the fear created a pulse of energy upon the tips of his fingers. The wisps of electricity grew, wrapping themselves around his arms. A shield. A weapon. Jay’s muscles tensed, fighting to control the buildup of energy as it continued. Jay felt as if he were pulling a rubber band taunt, further and further-  


Jay let go.  


The effect was instant. A bolt of lightning pierced right through the mass of snakes, creating a new opening amongst the slithering animals. The creature held its shape for a second. Then, it fell apart, the snakes dispersing quickly, exiting in a panic.  


“Whoa.” Jay stared at his hands. He began to laugh, until the air was forcefully removed from his lungs with a firm punch on the back. Jay slammed against the ground, almost skidding out into the sidewalk.  


He coughed and turned, facing the remaining creature with newfound confidence. “Okay. That’s how you want it? I can play your game.”  


Jay was dimly aware of the man and of Nya, fearful and dazed, behind the creature. Mostly, his mind pulsed with adrenaline, and with the desire to _destroy_. He had _never_ caused that much damage before. Well. Not purposely, in any case. It was . . . very, very empowering.  


The creature lunged. Once again, the moment Jay allowed electricity to coat him, the world slowed. It was as if his mind shifted into a new velocity, taking in information faster than what should have been possible.  


He could see the man, ducking behind the debris. He could see Nya’s muscles tense, one by one, as she pushed herself further back. He was aware of each and every snake in the creature’s body.  


Without bothering to plan, Jay let the energy loose again. This time, instead of a bolt, the attack was wild, almost resembling a poorly crafted web of electricity. It tore the snakes from one another. It burst every lightbulb. It cracked and shattered whichever glass had survived the initial explosion.  


The snakes rushed away in a panic as they fell, climbing over one another in a desperate attempt to get as far from Jay as possible.  


Jay flexed his fingers. With a jolt, he realized the pain in his arm had completely disappeared. In fact, despite having been punched and tossed and roughened, he felt better than ever. New. Strong.  


Nya stood slowly, massaging her stomach. There was a cut across her cheek, from the burst glass. Jay’s feelings of joy instantly turned into waves of guilt. “Nya! Are-“  


“I’m fine. But you need to learn to be careful. But also that was amazing.” The frown on her face relaxed. “I told you. Superhero in the making.”  


Jay shook his head. “No, that was- I could’ve- . . . _You!_ ”  


The man, who had slowly begun to inch out of the room, came to a stop. “Me . . .?”  


“Yeah, you. I had questions before, but now I _definitely_ have questions.” Jay said. “Who are you? Who’s Garmadon? What does this have to do with Cole? With me? And those things? What the heck was _that?_ ”  


“Those . . . are a lot of questions.” The man shifted uncomfortably under Jay’s gaze. His eyes kept flickering to Jay’s hands, making sure they were not full of tamed lightning. “I will . . . answer. Definitely. Um. Well, I’m Dareth. Very nice to meet you?”  


“Okay, _Dareth_. Who’s Garmadon?”  


“Well. You could say he’s my boss. Leader? Teacher . . .? There’s a lot of words. “Dareth shrugged. “I, myself, would call him my friend, but technically one could settle for boss.”  


Jay and Nya shared a glance. Nya then shrugged. Jay turned back to Dareth. “What’s any of this got to do with Cole, then? With me?”  


“Well . . . Cole worked with me. And you, well, _everything’s_ got to do with you. I’ve got no idea about those snake things though. Those are new.” Dareth said. “And that’s it, yeah? All the questions answered. And I really, really wish we could keep talking and all but-“  


“He worked with you?” Jay stepped closer, making Dareth flinch. “Doing _what?_ ”  


“Ahh. Um. He . . . I . . . I guess the easiest way to say it is, well . . . “Dareth ran his hand over his hair. “Cole was a secret agent.”  


Nya snickered. Jay wanted to do the same. The concept felt so outlandish. But then, Dareth continued. A wave of goosebumps coated Jay at the new words, leaving him feeling very, very sick.  


“His job was to protect _you_.”


	3. The Sound of Ticking Clocks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! I myself can't even believe 2020 is really happening right now. Hope this helps pass the time a little.  
> Thank you for reading!

**CHAPTER THREE- The Sound of Ticking Clocks  
AFTER**  


_His job was to protect you._  


Jay felt dizzy. His throat clenched up, and he tipped forward. Nya caught him, steadily setting him back on his feet. Her lips moved, but Jay couldn’t find the sound. The only thing Jay could hear, was his own panicked monologue.  


_Did he die because of me? Was he only doing his job? Me, him, was any of it real?  
_

__

__

_What about me is worth protecting?_  


“What do . . . you mean?” Jay mumbled the words. He really felt like he was going to be sick.  


“It’s uh- well, complicated. Maybe we could talk about this, somewhere else? People are uh- starting to gather.” Dareth glanced at the burst window behind them. Sure enough, more than one passerby had stopped to stare at the half-destroyed dojo. “Plus, I’m not too keen on waiting here form more snake golems.”  


Jay wasn’t sure if he’d nodded or not. The world was moving at a weird pace. One moment, he was still inside the dojo. The next, he was inside a large black car, speeding down the tight streets of Ninjago city.  


“Are you trying to say there’s things like that _all over the city?_ ” Nya was leaning forward, slipping her head in between the driver and passenger seats in order to be closer to Dareth. The man was frowning at the road, as if expecting it to do something unexpected. “Seriously?”  


“Well. Those tiny snakes are a first. But I’ve seen other things. Big snakes. Remember those earthquakes a few years back? That was a giant snake, eating away at everything beneath the city. We were the ones that stopped it.” Dareth beamed, although Jay had a feeling the man was more likely to stand at the sidelines than join a fight. “You didn’t really think Ninjago was all that safe, did you?”  


“Well, I thought it was, you know, as safe as any.” Nya said. “How did you wind up working for Garmadon? Is there some sort of . . . audition process? I know how to fight. And I’m good at mechanics. _Very_ good.”  


“Garmadon chooses who he chooses. I’m not all that sure how he goes about it.” Dareth shrugged. “He’s never made a wrong choice. Even when you think someone isn’t fit for the job . . . sooner or later it becomes obvious that Garmadon had a very good reason for asking them to join.”  


Nya scoffed. “Boo. I’d be useful. There’s really nothing I can do?”  


“Well, seeing as to how we’ll see him soon, maybe you can ask.”  


With a shake of his head, Jay tried to regain the thread of the conversations. It was more challenging than it should have been. His mind looped Dareth’s word ( _To protect you. To protect you._ ) and the electricity had left him with too much adrenaline. It ran through him completely unchecked, running his body down into anxious tatters.  


It made it really hard to focus. It felt as if the world around him was made out of nothing more than feeble static.  


“You’re awfully quiet little spark boy,” Dareth’s voice cut into Jay’s mind. One quick look out the windows let him know he’d zoned out for a good chunk of time. Again.  


“Don’t . . . Just Jay is fine.” Jay blinked. He couldn’t recognize the roads. They were on an end of the city he hadn’t yet been to. He sank back into his seat, hating the weight of Nya’s and Dareth’s glances.  


“Well, you were just so eager for explanations. And now you’re out of questions?” Dareth shook his head, then turned the car to the left far too quickly. Jay slid on his seat. “I mean come on. Not even one? Not even a _Wow, Dareth! Doing what you do sounds awfully heroic!_ ”  


“Okay.” Jay said. “Why did Cole need to protect me?”  


“Garmadon thought he was the best for the job. I mean, you’re young, he was young, it’s not too difficult to see-“  


“Not that.” Jay grimaced. “I mean, why _me?_ ”  


“You shoot lightning from your hands then ask why you need to be protected?”  


“I mean, yeah. If I can do all that, doesn’t it stand to reason I can protect myself?” Jay’s hands sparked. His brain felt like it was on fire. “Cole’s death _was_ my fault, wasn’t it? If I wasn’t some stupid freak them maybe he-“  


“No, Jay. Don’t think like that.” Nya pressed her own hands against his, firmly keeping him from spiraling down the wrong path.  


He pulled away. The last thing he wanted was to hurt someone else.  


“Most of the stuff concerning you is on a Need-To-Know basis. All I was really told was that you were very, very dangerous. In the wrong hands at least.” Dareth explained.  


“You talk like I’m some sort of weapon. I’m just _me._ ” Jay said the words, but he didn’t really believe them. Not after what he’d seen himself do. “So what now, then? Whose death will I be responsible for next?”  


Nya frowned at him. There was both concern and annoyance in her dark eyes.  


“Not mine, that’s for sure. I’m just taking you to HQ. Garmadon will handle it. Plus, he’ll want to see the flash drive. Have you seen what’s in it? If Cole hid it, it’s got to be important. Maybe some other mission he was working on.”  


“It needed a password. So, no.” Jay said. _Maybe some other mission_. The words felt like a punch. Had he been nothing more than a task? No. No, he couldn’t believe that. There had been sincerity in everything Cole did. There had to have been. If _everything_ had been a lie then-  


No. _No_.  


“Aw. That’s disappointing. They never let me in on the big stuff. I was hoping to prove myself, you know? Like maybe that little flash drive there has evidence of a spy in our organization,” Dareth’s eyes became dangerously dreamy, for someone whose main focus should have been the road. “Then, then we’d go catch them red-handed! Maybe you and the little miss would end up captured. Nothing against you, just, you know, the lack of experience.  


“Then I’d barge in, save you both, _and_ defeat whoever had been double timing us. After that, Garmadon would have to admit that I-“  


“ _Watch it!_ ”  


Nya’s shout. The screech of breaks. Jay clung to his seat as the world spun around him. In a moment of odd clarity, his eyes connected with those of the other driver.  


A wave of familiarity rattled him. But before he could put a name to the face, a heavy smack to the side of his head tossed him into darkness.  


* * *

****

**BEFORE  
**

“Wow!”  


Jay could think of no other word. He laughed, spinning on his heels before falling back against the sand. He stared deep into the sky, beaming up at the stars. They each winked down at him, equally enthusiastic.  


In Ninjago City, it was impossible to see the stars. Too much light pollution. Streetlights, billboards, cars from those who never slept . . . it all shrouded the night in shadow. The small town Jay had grown up in was any better. Every once in a while, a few stars would adorn the night. But nothing like _this_.  


Jay was dizzy with awe. He’d known, of course, that earth was only a miniscule speck in the vastness of space. But now, now he _felt_ it.  


“Yeah. Wow.” Cole dropped down to sit beside him, tilting his head up to watch the stars. “Bet you’d never thought of driving out into the desert just to stargaze.”  


“Not at all,” Jay chuckled, running his hands over the cool sand as he sat up. “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?”  


“No kidding.” Cole said. Jay couldn’t help but notice his tone was a little bit heavy.  


“Well, that just means I’ll never get tired of you.”  


“I sure hope so.”  


Jay studied Cole’s features. Sometimes, an odd sadness would creep into his boyfriend’s voice. Jay wished he could probe, but he was too afraid of saying the wrong thing. But there was _one_ thing he wasn’t too scared to do.  


He slid his hand into Cole’s. Finger by finger, Jay tightened his grip. Gentle still, but firm enough to convey a message. _I’m here_.  


Cole looked over at him, a warm smile chasing away the sadness. “I’m really lucky to have met you, you know?”  


“Definitely.” Jay chuckled. “Not to brag, but I am a _delight_.”  


“I feel lied to though. I thought you were a cute, shy, anxious nerd. Turns out you’ve got an ego bigger than the Mountain of a Million Steps.”  


“It’s not ego if you’ve got the personality to back it up.” Jay winked.  


“Oh, I know.” Cole winked back. “But I stand by my statement.”  


“You are incredibly rude.” Jay scoffed, pulling his hand away to punch Cole’s shoulder. Instead of _causing_ damage, Jay’s knuckles were the ones that suffered the most. “Jumping ninjas, Cole. Are you made of bricks?”  


Cole laughed. Jay did too. “Muscles, Jay. Ever heard of them?”  


“Can’t say I have, no. Is it a meal? Or more of a dessert? Or, maybe a type of sauce?”  


“You really think you’re funny, don’t you freckles?” Cole’s laugh softened into a chuckle. He ran his hand over Jay’s hair, brushing away some of the sand that had clung to it. “I really, really like you. I mean it, Jay. You make me feel like I exist.”  


Jay’s heart skipped a beat. His mind dipped into Cole’s eyes, and he felt a wave of pleasant dizziness. “I really, really like you too.”  


With the shinning stars above and a hesitant kiss, Jay and Cole managed to get lost within their own little universe.  


* * *

**AFTER**

  


Krux hated the sound of clocks.  


Each second only served to further remind him of all his failures. _Tick_. One second away from what could have been. _Tock_. Another weight on his aging bones.  


He slammed his fist against the clock that hung before him. Hard. It shattered under his fingers. He did not yet know who had brought it into his office. But he would find out. And once he did, they would pay.  


The sound stayed in his mind. It always did, for a while. _Tick_. Knowledge he’d once had, burying itself further in his mind. _Tock_. Another moment without his brother.  


A knock resounded on his door. It was feeble, but it echoed. This was because Krux’s office was mostly empty. He did not need decorations, or useless technological Knick knacks. Large bookshelves lined the walls, filled with stolen research. A majestic wooden desk sat at the center of it all. All around, the walls were empty.  


Except for the broken clock.  


Upon entering, one would instantly notice the lack of windows. It was a suffocating feature, serving to unnerve anyone Krux invited inside. This, however, was not the main reason for Krux’s design.  


Ninjago City had leaped into the future all too quickly. Krux was tired of looking upon its bright lights, and useless, fast moving toys.  


The knock came again, and Krux growled under his breath. “ _Yes?_ ”  


“Um. Hi, Cap’n.” A young snake peeked in. His scales were a bright shade of green. His canines were unusually sharp, fitting in his mouth with effort. His name was Clancee, and he was one of the _many_ mistakes Krux had made while trying to rescue his brother from time’s stubborn clutches. “There is- There’s- Ah, you see the lad you are trying to get, Cap’n. Our crew found him.”  


Crew. Captain. _Lad_. The boy came from the past, and he did not bother to hide it. Even his clothes were something from another century. This was the one thing Krux appreciated about him.  


“Then, is he here?” Krux tried not to show too much emotion. But his hands tingled. That woman’s son. The final piece of the puzzle. Without him, things would only continue to end in _mistakes_.  


“Ah, well, no Cap’n. He . . . he defeated our poor mates.” Clancee bowed his head. As if out of respect for the brainless snake-filled guards. Krux rolled his eyes. “But hear this, the lad was in an accident as he ran away! He’s in one of Ninjago’s hospitals, he is.”  


Krux’s eyes glowed. Hospital, hmm? Then the boy would be defenseless. He’d just have to get to him before Wu did. Or worse still, _Garmadon_.  


“We’ll get him then, Clancee.” Krux smiled, his long thin beard tilting along with his lips. “We’ll just need to come up with something _better_ than the Vermillion Warriors, won’t we?”  


“Aye, Cap’n.” Clancee bowed again, enthusiastically. “Is we heading down to the vault, then?”  


“Yes.” Krux nodded. His eyes quickly glazed over the broken clock. Twenty years of waiting. Twenty years, of watching the world make a mockery of everything. It ended _now_.  


Krux turned away from the clock, pushing past Clancee to step into the hall.  


He had almost gotten to Gordon’s little brat, once. The kid himself had applied to join _OverCorp_ , completely ignorant of what that would do to his fate. Krux couldn’t believe his luck, when he had seen Jay’s name staring back up at him from that flimsy piece of paper.  


For years, he’d searched, he’d sent others to do the searching _for_ him, but he had always come up empty handed. It was like the boy was being kept away from him, in a little pocket just outside of existence.  


Even with _OverCorp’s_ seemingly unlimited reach, Krux had tasted nothing but failure.  


“What were you thinking, Cap’n?” Clancee asked, his steps quick and loud.  


“Well,” Krux stopped before an elevator. They both stepped inside as the doors slid open. “We’ll need something the boy cannot break apart so easily. A different type of warrior, you understand?”  


Clancee nodded eagerly. Krux doubted the snake had enough brain power to truly understand, but he kept himself from commenting.  


Krux slipped a small key from a hidden pocket in his robes. He twisted into a lock in the elevator, which then allowed him to travel into the depths of the building. Straight into The Vault.  


It was a dramatic name, but Krux had always believed that things should be given the respect they deserved. Even if it _was_ only an underground floor of his mistakes. Skeletons, Serpentine, Ghosts, and even ill-tempered Djinns. Krux had found many useful things, in his struggle to master time.  


Many would even dare to consider everything Krux had done a success. He had traveled not only to the past and to the future, but to different timelines. Timelines in which he’d found out Jay was very, very good at making enemies.  


Problem was, he had no control over where in time he would end up. Problem was, he did not have his brother.  


But with Jay in his grasp . . .  


The elevator gave a cheerful _ding!_ As it came to a stop. Krux stepped out into a vast room, dark enough to give the eerie sensation of standing upon a void of nothing. “Clancee. The lights.”  


Clancee scuttled forward, navigating the dark with expert prowess. With a quick flick of a switch, the lights turned on one by one, slowly illuminating rows and rows of large glass boxes.  


Time was a tricky thing. It was very picky, when it came to holding things it was not supposed to hold. Krux’s little failures had to be kept in very specific environments, lest every one of their cells was ripped apart by time’s strict laws.  


Krux had quickly found that this was a good motivator. Do what I want you to do, or I’ll let time do what _it_ wants to do.  


Clancee seemed to be uncomfortably reminded of this fact. He fiddled with a small bracelet around his scaly wrist. The only thing keeping _him_ from bursting into a cloud of atoms. “S-So what’s the plan then, eh Cap’n?”  


“We’ll set something on the boy’s tail. Something he won’t be able to outrun.”


	4. You Only Die Twice

**CHAPTER FOUR- You Only Die Twice**

_Twenty years-  
It’s okay. I’ve got this. We’ve got this.  
He’s a kid- a kid- a KID!_

And his body.

Once reality clicked, everything hit Jay at once. There was a pressing pain on his chest every time he tried to take a breath. There was a persistent itch under the bandages wrapped around his rips. And his head.

Jay reached up to touch his forehead, flinching when his fingers made contact. The room around him swam, until the pain receded into the background again.

He was in a hospital room. No other place would have such _painfully_ bright lights. Plus, there was the beeping machinery. Made it all pretty obvious. The worst part of it though, was that he was alone.

Dareth. Nya. Snakes in armor. And _lightning_. Jay fell back against the bed, trying to sort out his present and his thoughts. _Now what?_

“You are awake.”

Jay jolted, causing the pain to return. An android had stepped into his room. She looked _very_ human, even with her silver hair and bright green eyes. Jay stared. He couldn’t help it. He’d heard about _OverCorp’s_ new technological breakthrough, thanks to Cyrus Borg and his innovative mind. But Jay had never seen an android in person. His mind whirred with excitement.

But only for a moment.

All too soon, Jay recognized the name stitched upon the nurse’s scrubs. _West End Hospital_. The very same place Cole’s dad had called from. The very same place Jay had religiously avoided. The very same place Cole had died in.

“Are you alright?” The nurse must have noticed the shift in Jay’s features. She approached, glancing at the machines beside Jay. Jay glanced at them too. Another thought occurred to him. This was a _very_ good hospital. _I can’t afford this? How am I here?_ “Hmm. You seem to be recovering quickly. You were very lucky. Aside from a bruised rib and a nasty bump, you are unscathed.”

The last thing Jay felt, was lucky. “And the-“

“The other person that was with you is quite alright as well.” The nurse smiled at him reassuringly. A sliver of her sliver hair slid from her ponytail. She brushed it back up, behind her ear. Jay got a flash of the news reporter ( _-what seems to be a random attack._ ) “Nya Smith, right? She’s better off than you. Just a scare and some bruises. She’s in the room right by yours.”

“And Dareth?”

“Excuse me?”

“In the car. The accident. The man driving. Is he okay too?”

The nurse’s frown deepened. “I was under the impression _you_ were the one at the wheel. Try not to stress too much. You are still under the effects of the anesthetic. You might feel a little confused.”

Jay was, indeed, confused. But he was also sure he hadn’t imagined Dareth. After all, he would still hear the man’s voice. _He was supposed to protect you._

The lights flickered. Jay hissed out a slow breath.

The nurse glanced up at the lights briefly, before returning her attention to Jay. “If you need anything, call me any time. My name is Pixal.”

“I’m Jay.”

“Yes. I know.” Pixal smiled, tapping at the clipboard in her hands. Jay blushed. With a nod of her head, the android stepped out of the room.

Jay wondered if he should try and see Nya. Pixal had said she was only one door over.

He sat up slowly, feeling out the pain on his chest. It wasn’t unbearable, but it wasn’t something he could easily ignore. It made each of his breaths shot and stiff.

“Secret agents and snakes and superpowers. _When_ , exactly, did my life turn into this?” Jay scooted to the edge of the bed. “You could have given me a little warning, Cole. Dating you should have come with a disclaimer.”

Standing was a bit of a challenge. His body hunched forward instinctively, begging him to curl up and let healing take its course. It was a tempting proposition. Jay would have loved to lay back down, to forget everything and go to sleep. Still, he shuffled forward.

It became a little easier, with each step. He managed to straighten. As he gained confidence, Jay missed the moment his awkward shuffle turned into a fall. His legs wavered without his permission, hurtling the floor forward at an alarming speed. Gravity at its worst.

“Whoa, dude.” A voice said, quickly rescuing Jay from kissing the ground, and adding to the growing list of injuries. “Are you even supposed to be out of bed?”

“Maybe.” Jay said, frowning at his savior. “Kai? What are you-“

“-doing here?” Kai finished for him with an eye roll. “Nya _is_ my sister, you know. Usually, family worries about family. However insufferable said family might be.”

“ _I’m_ not Nya, though.” Jay pointed out. “She’s in the next room.”

“Can’t I visit my sister’s best friend, too? I have a big heart, you know. I worry about _all_ kinds of people.” Kai smirked, ruffling Jay’s hair before helping him back down onto the bed. “Also, there was something I needed to tell you.”

“There it is.”

“Chief Wu wants to talk to you.”

Jay blinked. He looked at Kai. _Chief Wu_. Technically, the man’s work was independent from Ninjago’s police force, but all those who worked with and around him had a habit of calling him chief. Kai had worked for Wu for some years now, and yet, Jay had never managed to figure out what it was that they actually _did_.  
“Why?” Jay asked. He then thought, momentarily, about the flash drive sitting in Cole’s hoodie. “Am I in trouble?”

“No! Not at all. It’s about Cole. I mean. Uh. It’s about, mainly, your safety.” Jay saw Kai’s eyes shift, as if he were sorting through information. Deciding very carefully which things to voice, and which to keep secret. “The Chief has been worried Cole’s death might not have been random, exactly. He just wants to make sure you’re not in any danger.”

“It’s been a month.” Jay’s voice was strained as he stated the fact. “Why now?”

“Hey, I’m just the messenger.” Kai shrugged, walking backwards toward the door. “Chief will meet you in the cafeteria. Just let Pixal know when you’re ready. She’ll take you to him.”

“But why does-“

“And just . . .” Kai cut off Jay’s question with a wave of his hand. He then eyed Jay carefully. Jay waited.

“Just . . .?”

“Don’t . . . Don’t trust anyone, okay?” Kai’s voice was steel. “ _Especially_ if they mention Cole’s name.”

* * *

**BEFORE**

“A museum? Really?” Jay faked a yawn. “Since when are museums interesting?”

“Since always?” Cole scoffed. “Are you seriously telling me you think they’re boring?”

“I mean, yeah?” Jay shrugged. He shoved his hand into Cole’s hoodie, taking hold of his boyfriend’s hand. “I mean, it’s just a bunch of things with a bunch of words I don’t really want to read.”

“Knowledge can be a lifesaver, freckles.” Cole said, guiding them forward. Jay was amused to find that Cole knew every hall and every turn of the grand building. How much time did the guy spend here? “It’s one of the few things no one can really take away from you.”

“Deep today, aren’t we?” Jay teased. “I’ll admit knowing stuff is helpful. But then, wouldn’t a history museum be better? _Science_ , perhaps? What I mean is, why here? All they have is myths and stories.”

“They’re only myths and stories because people can’t accept stuff like this existed. Or exists. You never know.”

“You’re lucky I love you, because you’re too crazy for anyone else.” Jay rolled his eyes. “I mean, a race of anthropomorphic snakes? Really want me to believe that’s real?”

“Yeah.”

“But there’s _so_ much wrong with that! Biologically and otherwise. Would they still lay eggs? Shed skin? How would they manage to keep bodies that large warm enough to stay alive? They’d have to stay in the sun for _days_ at a time.”

Cole ignored him then, opting instead for continuing to drag him forward. Jay accepted his fate. It was impossible to resist Cole’s exited explanations. Boring or not, in the moment, it didn’t really matter. In the end, Jay was a simple guy, with simple needs. All he really needed was a hand to hold and a smile to cherish.

With Cole, he had plenty of both.

“I hope you’ve learned a thing or two.” Cole said, leaning forward against one of the rails surrounding a large exhibit of bones. “Wouldn’t want you to die, if you faced off against one of these babies.”

“Of course we wouldn’t want that.” Jay chuckled. He studied the exhibit before him. _Dromaeosaurid Theropod Grundalicus_. Otherwise known as Grundles. Jay really, really wanted to laugh. “ _How_ would I ever survive against something that’s either been dead for eons, or maybe never existed at all?”

“Hey, you never know.” Cole said. There was something about his voice that Jay didn’t know what to do with. He looked away from the bones, to study his boyfriend’s expression. He didn’t know what to do with that, either. “So how _do_ you keep yourself alive, in this very, very plausible scenario?”

“I don’t know, Cole. But I’m sure you’ll tell me.”

“Light. Grundles are primarily nocturnal. Their eyes are too sensitive to properly take in any sort of bright lights.”

“Cool. I’ll be sure to keep my phone’s flashlight handy.” Jay began to pace in front of Cole, his usual energy making every bit of him restless. “Next date, I’m in charge. I have the _best_ idea. One you’ll love, since you’re all about fitness and oddly specific survival advice.”

“Stay _still_. You’re such a puppy.” Cole took hold of Jay’s hand. He then pulled Jay closer. “What’s this idea?”

“A hike!” Jay beamed with pride. “Nya recommended a good spot. She says the view is great, if we can make it to the top. Which means, of course, that you’ll have to carry me. I wanna eat a ham sandwich on the top of the world baby!”

“ _Now_ who’s oddly specific?”

* * *

**AFTER**

Jay watched Kai leave the room. The world just kept molding itself into more of a nightmare. A very confusing nightmare, where nothing ever felt quite real.

It made Jay feel like an actor without a script.

He thought about Dareth. About this mystery person, ‘Garmadon’. Was that who Kai was warning him away from?

Or had Kai been warning him about Chief Wu?

Jay needed to talk to Nya. She was the one thing in his life that hadn’t stopped making sense. He prepared himself to stand again, planning to move slower this time. Before he could succeed, a doctor rushed into his room.

At least, Jay assumed he was a doctor. The man had a very thick, very scraggly beard. His face was practically drowning in it. His eyebrows were worse still, hanging low over his brown eyes. Jay couldn’t help but think of a werewolf. Which, at this point, why not?

The doctor slammed the door shut behind him. Jay scooted himself back.

“Well. Looks like you’re okay. That’s good. That’s real good. Sorry about the crash. Wow! I have never done that before. Except that one time.” That voice! Jay recognized it in an instant. Dareth! “Garmadon’s annoyed, but when isn’t he? Honestly. The only person he smiles at is his bratty little son.”

“What are you doing here!? Why are you- Why do you look like that?”

“I’m undercover, ah- _duh_.” Dareth rolled his eyes. He flipped through the chart, nodding along and scribbling nonsense as part of the act. Jay wondered who he was acting _for_. Were they being watched? “Garmadon himself is going to come for you. Tonight. He’ll be in the parking lot. Don’t worry about recognizing him. He’ll recognize you.”

Jay shook his head. “And . . . how am I supposed to get out of here?”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something. You have those scary sparks, don’t you?” Dareth leaned closer to the machinery, using his distorted reflection to adjust the oversized beard. “And I’d find a way out as soon as possible. Garmadon isn’t the only one who’d love to chat with you. And others might not be quite as . . . _civil_.”

“You mean like . . . Chief Wu?”

Dareth whirled around. “Wu!? You talked to _Wu?_ ”

“Not yet. But he does want to talk to me.”

“Crafty old sneak.” Dareth shook his head slowly with each word, placing his hand on his hips. “Well. No. I didn’t mean _him_. But don’t talk to him either.”

“Why? And who else would want something to do with me?”

“Oh, you’ll figure it out. Hopefully I’ll see you later. Better hurry and find a way out. “Dareth tapped his wrist, although there was no watch upon it. “Tick, tock Gordon.”

“ _Gordon?_ "

Instead of answering, Dareth shuffled out of the room. He looked more and more suspicious with every step. In the end, the man seemed to give up on pretending to be a doctor. He broke into a run, disappearing into the stairs. Jay shook his head.

The sun was lowering quickly. Soon enough, the day would end, and he’d have to make a choice. Garmadon or Wu? What about just . . . staying in his room, pretending none of this was happening at all?

Jay was really, really leaning into that last option. He wanted to find the truth, of course. Not only for himself, but for Cole. Despite this though, things were quickly spinning away from what Jay could handle. He was tired and scared and overwhelmed.

“First things first,” Jay told himself. It was a comfortable habit, speaking out loud. “I should talk to Nya.”

With a slow breath, Jay managed to stand. He looked around the room, doing his best to match his breath to his steps. A small chair sat in the corner of the room. Upon it, were the few possessions he’d had when the crash occurred.

Jay leaped for Cole’s hoodie. He regretted the quick move. As he waited for his aches to settle, he hugged the fabric tight, before finally slipping it on over the hospital gown. Jay felt around for the container. Somehow still there. Somehow still safe.

“We’re getting out of here little buddy.” Jay said. The floor shook beneath him. With a frown, he waved it off. “But first, Nya.”

The halls of the hospital were surprisingly empty. Jay stepped out, unnerved by the silence.

Nya should have been in the room right next to him. At least, that’s what Pixal had told him. But when Jay peeked into the rooms on either side of his own, he found them very empty.

“Maybe . . . I heard her wrong?” Jay whispered. He thought he felt the building shake again, but it could have just as easily been a tremor of his own nerves. “Or . . . maybe she went home. No. She wouldn’t . . . leave me. Right?”

Not wanting to return to his own room and to the choice that awaited him there, Jay continued to move down the hall. He peeked into each room as he went. He recognized no one, but he noticed the pressing absence of any sort of medical personal.

“Maybe they’re on break.” Jay said, when he reached the end of the hall. “All . . . all at the same time? Yeah. Very logical.”

Another tremor shook Jay from his thoughts. It was strong enough to make him fall back, making it impossible for him to wave it off again. Not only that, but it was accompanied by a deep, threatening growl.

Jay froze. The tremors continued, rhythmic steps that only drew closer.

The source of them burst from the stairs, creating a considerably sized hole in the wall. The growl came again, louder now that the creature was before him.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Jay whimpered, recognizing the creature from a picture he’d seen in what felt like another lifetime. _Grundel_.

Sharp claws sunk against the floor as the creature moved, heading toward the room Jay should have been in. As the creature burst into the room, Jay himself stumbled to his feet, looking around wildly. Both Kai’s and Dareth’s warnings swirled in his mind. He rushed to the door closest to him. Locked. Jay bounced on his feet, trying to keep his breath steady.

Crash sounds echoed down the hall. It wouldn’t take long before the creature realized its prey was elsewhere.

The door Jay tried next was locked too, but the door was mercifully an electronic one. Jay did not have a keycard, but he _did_ have a pocket full of lightning. He fried the door lock with a jolt, then forced it open. With his heart tearing at his chest, Jay slipped inside.

He shut the door behind him, quickly wedging a chair under the handle. It wouldn’t really make much of a difference when it came to the monster’s claws, but it did make Jay feel a little safer.

The room was small, and dimly lit. There were shelves filled with files, a wide window, and a desk. Jay began to head to the window, marking it as the best way out of this situation. As he passed the desk, however, what sat upon it caught his attention.

It was a computer, with a large, bright monitor. And within the monitor, was Jay’s own name.

Jay read the words. It was nothing unusual, for once. Only small quick details about the accident. His injuries, his age, and a bunch of comfortably average details.

Curious, Jay moved closer, clicking on the search bar and typing out Nya’s name. Her information was just as normal as his. The only difference being, was that her file stated she had been released. No less than an hour ago.

“So you did leave.” Jay bit his lip. “Why?”

The screen had no answers. Jay stepped back, a set of heavy steps reminding him of the danger he was in. The creature had continued its hunt.

Jay needed to get out. But . . . something held him in place.

He looked back at the monitor. His fingers twitched and he tightened them, trying to hold himself back from making a mistake. _Bad idea, Jay. You need to get out of here._

Despite his own warnings, Jay returned to the computer. With his stomach in a knot, he typed out another name.

_Cole Brookstone._

The results unfurled before him.

And the now familiar goosebumps enveloped him once again.

Nowhere, _nowhere_ , did the file mention a gunshot wound. _Multiple fractures and internal bleeding due to vehicle collision_. Jay shook his head. He’d seen the news report. He’d memorized the news report.

His eyes continued to run over the information. They screeched through a halt, as they reached the time of death.

Jay’s sight blurred. The date. It should have been no more than a month ago. And yet-

Yet, the numbers before him plainly stated that Cole had been dead for _two years_.


	5. Somewhat Good Enough

**CHAPTER FIVE- Somewhat Good Enough**

  


A sharp, curved claw dug itself into the door.  


Jay jumped back, frying the computer under his fingers. He cursed loudly, striking at the keyboard in a violent manner. As if that would help bring it back. “Turn back on and _tell_ me I imagined what I just read! Please!”  


The creature roared on the opposite side of the door. A victorious sound, no doubt at having found what its prey. Jay gave up on assaulting the computer, and rushed to the window. Best way out, right?  


Ignoring the fact that he didn’t know what floor he was on.  


There _was_ one other option. He could try to blast straight past the creature. Run for help. Maybe find Chief Wu. Maybe the old man would know what to do.  


But if Jay did that, he’d be turning away from Garmadon, turning away from a different set of answers. Still. Everything that surrounded Cole’s secret world had been nothing more than punches in the gut. How much more could Jay handle?  


Unfortunately, the question Jay _should_ have been asking himself was, _how much more could the door handle?_  


The answer being, not much. It flew inward with the creature’s next lunge, the thick material shredded by its sharp claws. Jay yelped, ducking down just in time.  


Behind him, the window shattered. Jay now had precious few seconds to make a decision.  


He wanted to be safe. He was tired and he was hurt and he was _terrified_. Chief Wu would no doubt provide comfort and shelter.  


But-  


_But_ -  


But Jay found that he needed Cole more than anything. There was a small trail his dead boyfriend had left behind, willingly or not, and Jay was compelled to follow it. To the ends of the earth. If he had to.  


The creature pushed its head forward, biting down inches away from Jay’s body. For now, The door frame kept the Grundle back, but it wouldn’t last very long.  


“Here buddy. You want a snack? I’m in a generous mood.” Jay hopped up to his feet, then flung the computer’s monitor toward the creature. The Grundle drew back, startled, gnashing its teeth against the object.  


Jay to the window. He did his best to knock away the sharp pieces of glass that still clung to the sill. With a determined breath, He then began to climb out. The hospital gown left most of his legs uncomfortably uncovered. Jay teetered above the ground, tugging down on the fabric. It felt important to remain decent.  


_Really think there’s bigger problems than what you flash where, buddy._ Jay mocked himself.  


The creature, finally done destroying the monitor, rushed forward again. The wall began to crack. When the Grundle rammed itself forward again, the wall fell apart completely, in a wave of dust and debris.  


Jay leaped back reflexively, away from one danger, and into the next. Gravity. Air rushed around him and past him, but the fall didn’t last enough for him to give a proper scream. His half-hearted squeal ended roughly as he landed amidst a line of bushes.  


Mistake. Mistake. _Mistake_. Jay realized quickly that he would have rather been Grundle food. He’d never felt so much pain in his _life_. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think, and worst of all, the world around him was dimming. Both the wound on his head and his chest throbbed.  


“That’s the worst way to make an exit.” Jay whined, forcing himself to stand. With an awkward stumble, he shuffled forward, into the parking lot. His eyes swept through his surroundings in a panic. Wasn’t Garmadon supposed to be here? He really wanted the Grundle to become someone else’s problem.  


As Jay continued his search, the sound of the Grundle tearing at the building reached his ears. It wouldn’t be too long before the creature joined Jay again. And this time, there were no more windows to leap out of.  


“Think, Jay. _Think_.” Electricity sparked around him, slowly lifting the pain from his shoulders and replacing it with panicked adrenaline. He could try to outrun the creature. But Jay had a sinking feeling that it would never really stop hunting for him.  


But _could_ he get rid of it?  


Did he have a choice?  


The ground shook as the Grundle leapt from the hospital onto the ground. Car alarms blared all around, creating a cacophony of sound that did nothing to aid Jay’s fleeting focus.  


Each of the creature’s steps tore away at the pavement. If its claws could do that to _concrete_ , Jay didn’t want to imagine what they could do to _him_. He shied further into his shield of electricity, forcing the world to slow.  


Defensively, Jay then shot a bolt of lightning forward. It hit the creature’s chest full force, but the Grundle hardly reacted. Its thick skin kept it from feeling much of anything. The only thing Jay had managed to do, was enrage it further.  


One of the lights beside Jay burst. His powers were somehow overwhelming everything around him, filling things with more power than they could handle. The car’s alarms grew louder. Squeakier. Jay gritted his teeth.  


There was an idea there, sitting in the back of his mind. He couldn’t quite grasp it. The Grundle was closer now, close enough for Jay to see how terrifyingly large the creature’s teeth were.  


_Lights, Jay. Lights!_ Cole’s voice hissed in his head. _Its eyes are weak!_  


Jay faltered. For a moment, he lost hold of his powers. The world rushed at him all at once. The ache in his ribs, the ache in his head, and The Grundle itself. It swiped a claw forward. Jay was flung aside, crashing against one of the beeping cars.  


The metallic taste of blood rushed into Jay’s mouth, but he hardly noticed it. His mind was buzzing with a different concern.  


Cole. He’d heard _Cole’s_ voice.  


Had it been a memory? Somehow blurring with his consciousness? What other explanation was there?  


It had triggered something in Jay’s mind. A date he couldn’t fully remember, a date in which Cole _had_ talked about the Grundle. And, more importantly, about the Grundle’s weakness.  


“Lights.” Jay nodded, trying to stand. Trying to stop thinking about Cole.  


The Grundle rushed forward again, reminding him that now was not the best time to wonder about his dead boyfriend. Unless of course, Jay was eager to join Cole in the afterlife.  


With an unnecessary motion of his hands, Jay brought his electricity back. This time, however, instead of keeping it as a shield, he pushed it outward. He gifted the lights around him with a bit of extra juice. Holding back just enough to keep them from bursting.  


The creature stumbled back, clawing at the air in desperate motions. It was working! Everything around Jay was blindly bright, and the Grundle was in a state of panic. Its roars now sounded more like whimpers.  


“Ha! Yeah! Take that, you filthy, ugly thing!” Jay cackled. “Not so tough now, are you?”  


The creature whimpered again in response. Jay smiled. Confidence made him just a little bit stronger. Which then, the lights around him began to burst.  


Bulb by bulb, the parking lot was plunged into darkness.  


* * *

**BEFORE**

  


“So.”  


Cole’s father leaned forward. Him and Jay sat in Cole’s living room, which was just about ten times larger than Jay’s apartment. Despite this, the space somehow felt too cramped. The glare from Cole’s dad was beyond suffocating. “Walker, is it?”  


“J-Jay. I usually just go with Jay.” Jay replied. He looked past Cole’s father, and down the hall, silently begging Cole to show up. This was the last time Jay showed up early for _anything_. “But, well, yes. Technically Walker. Jay Walker. It’s funny, right? Not that I jaywalk or anything. No. I guess that’s not funny. That’s dangerous.”  


Cole’s father was silent. No half smile, no chuckle, no softening of any of his strict features. His impatient fingers tapped away at the cup in his hands. Jay sunk further back into the couch. He was making the best impression.  


At the very least, the couch was really comfortable. _Everything_ about Cole’s house was really _something_. Really pretty. Really big. Really expensive. Jay felt like a fish out of water. Having grown up in a trailer in the middle of a junkyard, Cole’s place felt like a palace. And Jay was an unwanted peasant.  


Cole’s father wasn’t making him feel any better, either.  


“Nice house,” Jay said, trying very desperately to turn thing around. “It’s . . . big.”  


Not the most eloquent he’d ever been, that’s for sure.  


“And what exactly is it that you _do_ , Jay Walker?” Cole’s dad asked. Jay grimaced. Now it wasn’t just Jay _or_ Walker. It was both. Double anxiety points! “Cole tells me you’re in college.”  


“Yes, sir.” Jay said. “I’m studying engineering. For now.”  


“Hmm,”  


“I’m just a little scared of choosing the wrong thing. So keeping some options open, you know? Not that my scholarship will last forever. But, you know?” Jay’s palms were very sweaty. Why was Cole taking so long? How much time could it possibly take for someone to get ready? “I mostly like building things.”  


“Fascinating.” Cole’s father replied, in a tone that said he thought the exact opposite. His fingers continued to tap. “I do hope you won’t be too much trouble.”  


“O-of course not! I hate trouble, trust me. I’ve never really been in trouble. Well. Not willingly, anyway. I do my best to avoid it.”  


“Well, at least there’s that.” Cole’s father sighed as he stood. Jay wondered if he’d said the wrong thing. “At the very least there’s that.”  


* * *

**AFTER**

  


“Yeah. Okay. Now what? Any more clever plans, voice in my head?”  


Jay felt exhausted. His arms dropped by his sides. He was completely out of ideas.  


The Grundle very quickly realized that the blinding lights had gone. It shook its head, covering its surroundings with slobber. Then, it refocused, lowering its head as it moved toward Jay’s body.  


“Ugh,” Jay whimpered, once again falling to the ground. The Grundle roared, bringing its large foot down, and trapping Jay beneath it. One of its claws sliced against Jay’s cheek. “Cole?”  


No response.  


At least, not one from inside Jay’s head.  


“Overall, I’d give that performance a six out of ten.” A voice from somewhere behind the creature spoke. There was a flash of blue light. It embedded itself into the Grundle’s thick ski, twisting and curling as it spread around the creature’s veins. All at once, it engulfed the creature completely.  


When the light faded, the creature faded it with it.  


Without the Grundle’s body blocking Jay’s view, he spotted the owner of the voice. It was a man, with swooping grey hair and a suave smile. In his hand was a small black gun, no doubt the source of the destructive light. The man holstered it before stepping forward.  


“There’s a lot of potential in you, but no polish.” The man said, as if Jay’s terrifying ordeal had been nothing more than a performance. “The bit with the lights was clever. But you lost control.”  


Jay stared in silence for a moment. He didn’t know what to say. _Sorry, but why is my near-death experienced getting a rating?_  


“Please tell me you’re Garmadon.” Jay said at last. “And that you’re not here to kill me, too.”  


“I’m Garmadon.” The man said, holding it out his hand to help Jay onto his feet. “And I’m not here to kill you.”  


“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day.”  


“Must have been quite a day then. But you don’t have to worry about it anymore. You’re safe.”  


Somehow, Jay didn’t quite believe that. But he _wanted_ to believe it. So he didn’t protest when Garmadon beckoned him to follow. They stopped at the edge of the parking lot, where a shiny black limousine sat. Jay gave a low whistle.  


“You all really travel in style, don’t you?”  


Garmadon smiled. “Something like that. There’s a clean set of clothes in there if you’d like to change. After that, I do have a couple of questions I hope you can help me with.”  


Jay nodded. “I have some of my own too.”  


“I’m sure.”  


Jay entered the car, and he was instantly floored at the size of it. The back of the vehicle was separated from the front, so he would have enough privacy to accept the change of clothes. The seats were wide and snug. The thing even had a _mini fridge._  


After getting over his awe, Jay picked up the set of clothes. Black jeans and a loose, blue tee. Jay was startled at how perfectly everything fit. Eerie, but he supposed it was nothing compared with all the other things that had gone on. To top things off, Jay slipped back into Cole’s hoodie.  


With a sigh, Jay momentarily melted into the fabric. It had been a long, long day. Jay could hardly believe that, as of 24 hours ago, his life had still bordered around a sense of normalcy. And now . . .  


“You all good back there?” Garmadon’s voice took Jay out of his thoughts.  


“Yeah. I’m good.” As soon as Jay said the words, the partition that kept the back from the front separated lowered. Jay moved closer to the front of the limousine. “So . . . questions. Who, exactly, keeps trying to kill me? Why did Cole need to protect me? Oh, and let's not forget, _why do Cole's hospital record say he's been dead for two years?_ ”  


“Questions indeed.” Garmadon nodded. “I promise you, things will make sense. But that flash drive you showed Dareth. I really need to know what’s in it. If it’s the last thing Cole left behind . . .”  


“I have it, yes.” Jay said, retrieving it from the sewed in pocked. “It had a note too. Something about someone finding someone else? I must have dropped it though.”  


“My laptop should be under the seat. Would you mind looking into the drive?”  


“Now? Can't you at least tell me _something_?"

“Cole found that information more than a month ago. We need to see what it is before it’s too late. If it was one of the reasons he was killed, I need to know what it is.”  


“Right,” The word _killed_ made Jay's heart twist, extinguishing the protests in his mouth.  


Garmadon’s driving was far superior to Dareth’s, so it was easy to move around in the vehicle without losing balance. Jay retrieved the laptop. Its screen lit up as soon as he flipped it open, revealing a cute family photo as the background.  


It showed Garmadon hugging a small child with bright green eyes and wispy blonde hair, both of them smiling warmly for whoever was taking the shot. Garmadon glanced at the rearview mirror. “That’s my son. Lloyd. He’s turning eleven soon.”  


“Good age.” Jay said, awkwardly. “I mean, when I was eleven no one was sending mutated dinosaurs after me. Or snakes.”  


Garmadon chuckled softly. Jay inserted the flash drive.  


His hands began. He was sure that whatever information Cole had found, it would only serve to make Jay’s world a little bit worse. Would it explain the reason for his powers? Would it bring to light the person that was trying to wipe him off the map? Or would it be something even worse?  


“It’s-“Jay’s voice failed him for a moment. He looked back at Garmadon. “It needs a password?”  


“What?” Garmadon mumbled something under his breath. “Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? Of course it has a stupid password. It’s _secret information_ , Garmadon. What did you expect?”  


Jay fiddled with the keyboard. Garmadon blew out a slow breath. “Well. You knew him well, didn’t you? Do you have any ideas?”  


“Maybe?” Jay stared at the blank space, and the polite Please Insert Password prompt. No, he definitely had no ideas. The last few hours had only served to show how little he really knew about Cole. “No. I- I can’t think of anything.”  


“Damn it. We could crack it with a randomized algorithm, sure, but- that would take too long. I need to call Dareth. Maybe Cole left some stuff behind that could provide a few hints?” Garmadon’s fingers tapped against the steering wheel as he spoke. The action reminded Jay of someone.  


Someone he was none too eager to see. But someone who could be of help.  


“Well . . . We could go to Cole’s house.” Jay said. “His dad wanted me to look at some of Cole’s stuff. To see if there was anything I wanted to keep. Maybe he left something behind there.”  


“That,” Garmadon said. “Is a great idea.”


	6. Letters From the Dead

**CHAPTER SIX- Letters From the Dead  
AFTER**

The thought of seeing Cole’s dad again took whatever energy was left in Jay’s body. He had only seen the man twice, and, in both occasions, it was as if the man had _already_ decided that he did not like Jay. And that he would never like Jay.

Cole had, of course, tried to vouch for his father. It was one of the few things they found themselves arguing about in a serious manner.

“He’s just . . . not good with people. He doesn’t _hate_ you.” 

“He does!” Jay found it hard to believe otherwise How could he, after the stern glares and the scoffs and the cruel comments? “He thinks I’m an idiot.”

“You think everyone thinks you’re an idiot, Jay.”

“Well.” Jay shrugged. “Don’t they?”

“No! Most people think you’re brilliant. But you’re always too wrapped up in hating yourself to notice.”

“Am not”

Jay hated the way Cole had always been able to see right through him. No one had ever seen him with the clarity Cole did. Staring right past all the lies and deceptions, and into who Jay really was. Jay himself had never been allowed that view.

It made arguing with him all the worse. Jay hated it, but he couldn’t keep himself from doing it. He didn’t _want_ Cole to see the truth. Jay couldn’t stop himself from shouting defensively, even when his words ceased to make sense, he’d said them anyway! Shouting and fighting were the only ways Jay could think of, to keep his boyfriend away from the worst parts of his mind.

Pushing people away was infinitely easy than risking their rejection.

Overall, love itself was just- _weird_. Jay had always considered himself to be a hopeless romantic. He’d played with sweet words and daydreams. But none of it had prepared him for the reality of Cole.

Cole had made him feel everything. Cole had flared up Jay’ emotions, with nothing more than his presence. Cole had made him _complete_.

But had Cole felt the same? Had Jay been enough? Or had Jay been the only one to feel anything at all?

“You’re awfully quiet. What happened to all those fiery questions?”

“Huh?” Jay turned toward Garmadon. “Oh. I’m- It’s-. . .”

“Mentally preparing to see Lou?” Garmadon nodded. “I’m not a fan of him either. You think you can go at it alone? I don’t know if he’d be too happy to see me, after what happened to Cole.”

“You . . . know Cole’s dad?”

“Well, of course. His son worked for me, didn’t he?”

“So . . . Cole’s father knew? That . . . that Cole was supposed to protect me?” Jay laughed. He ran his hand through his hair, fingers snagging against the bandage he’d forgotten about. “Oh, well that explains a lot. No wonder he hated me. No doubt he thought I’d get Cole hurt. And- And well, I guess he wasn’t wrong.”

“Of course he was wrong, Jay. What happened to Cole was not your fault.” Garmadon’s voice softened. “Keeping Ninjago safe, keeping you safe . . . Cole knew there would be risks.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it doesn’t.”

The limousine slowed to a stop. Jay’s body shuddered with a sigh. Everything outside the window was littered with memories, and the house before them was the worst of it all. Jay took the drive from Garmadon’s computer, placing it back into his pocket. “Guess I’ll be back.”

“Kid . . .”

“Can you . . . Can you answer me one thing? Never mind that Cole somehow died twice, or that I can somehow spark up or-“ Jay’s hands began to shake. “Did Cole care about me? Did I mean anything to him? Or was I just his assignment?”

“I don’t-“Garmadon shook his head. “I had to have someone keep an eye on you, you know? You could be very dangerous, in the wrong hands, the wrong path. Cole, well, he volunteered for the job.”

“That doesn’t answer anything!”

“I’m sorry.” Garmadon said. “I really don’t know.”

“Awesome.” Jay exited the limousine, slamming the door shut with unnecessary force. “Thanks!”

Jay stomped forward, fighting to keep his tears at bay. He couldn’t break down yet. He had to keep going. But . . . why? Why was he still following Cole’s footsteps? Even if there was some sort of answer at the end of the road, Jay would never get what he _really_ wanted.

He would never get Cole back. Wouldn’t get to grasp his boyfriend’s shoulders, to shake him until explanations spilled out, until Cole gave up some sort of antidote to the fire that wouldn’t stop burning inside Jay’s chest.

_Did you love me?_ Jay screamed the words in his head. _Did you, Cole?_

A few tears overflowed from his eyes. Jay growled as he wiped them away, roughly. The movement pushed against the dried scab on his cheek, reopening the wound. Jay didn’t want to imagine what he looked like.

The lights on the living room were on, and faint music slipped through the windows. Good. At least he wouldn’t be waking Cole’s father.

Jay pressed down on the doorbell before he could think about it. The chime echoed through the house. The music stopped, replaced by the sound of footsteps. They came to a halt in front of the door, but the door did not open.

“It’s me. It’s Jay.” Jay’s voice sounded gruff. He cleared his throat, and gave a small wave to the peephole. “Hi.”

“ _Jay_.” The voice of Cole’s father was muffled by the door. It then swung open, washing Jay’s body with light. “You’re here. I was beginning to think you’d never show.”

Okay. So not exactly the response Jay had been expecting. Cole’s father studied Jay’s state, frowning at different intervals. Jay opened his mouth, but was interrupted into silence. “Come in. Please. You need to get cleaned up.”

“I- Um. Well, it’s-“Jay’s protests were useless, as Cole’s father dragged him forward. The man turned around long enough to lock the door, before continued to usher Jay into the house. “Sir, I’m-“

“ _Sir_. You never did get around to calling me Lou.” Cole’s father shook his head. “No need for formalities. Well. You know where the bathroom is, don’t you? Get that thing on your cheek cleaned up. There should be some bandages there. Once you’re done, you can finally read what Cole left for you.”

“Wait.” Jay blinked. “ _Left_ for me? I thought what you had was, you know, his stuff? You never said he left something for me.”

“I just assumed you’d care enough to come, either way.”

“It’s not that I didn’t _care_.” Jay scoffed. He was tired and he was mad and he didn’t care about being polite anymore. “It’s that it _hurts_. I couldn’t face- I couldn’t bear to see everything that Cole was knowing he no longer is. If there’s anyone in this stupid city who should be able to understand, It’s _you_.”

Lou’s face became a blank slate. “Are you going to get cleaned up? I’d rather not have blood on my furniture.”

“Right. Because that’s what’s important here.” Jay turned away, rushing down the hall before he said something he’d regret.

Each breath was a punch in the gut as he walked through the familiar setting of Cole’s home. By the time Jay reached the bathroom, he felt breathless.

He slammed the door shut, then leaned against the sink, trying to keep his emotions from taking over. As his breathing began to level, Jay frowned down at the skin on his arms. They were unscarred. The cuts he very clearly remember, from the window and from the bushes, were _gone_. Jay ran his fingers over the freckled skin. Smooth.

It wasn’t the first time, either. Jay remembered being hurt before, at the dojo. Before magically just . . . healing. Jay’s eyes shone as the gears in his mind began to turn. He unwrapped the bandage from around his head, feeling for the wound that should have been there. Nothing!

“The electricity. Maybe they’re helping neurons communicate faster? But . . . how does that translate into accelerated healing?” Jay mumbled the words to himself, as he studied himself in the mirror. The cut on his cheek was still there. Because- Well, because Garmadon had gotten rid of the creature. And Jay hadn’t used his powers again. “It’s got to be impossible. I mean, even if my brain is working faster it- it shouldn’t be able to affect the rest of the body. Not like this. Right?”

Then again, the body in general wasn’t supposed to produce raw lightning.

“No harm in testing the theory, I guess.” Jay said, before bringing the electric wisps forward. Without a threat to terrify him, it was a little more difficult. But he managed. Jay watched as his hair rose around him, due to the self-produced static. Bit by bit, the wound on his cheek stitched itself shut.

Jay laughed, in awe. He noticed the blue in his eyes was glowing. “I am a _god_.”

With a shake of his head, Jay laughed again, before remembering where he was, and why. His mission sobered him up quickly. Before exiting the bathroom, he wrapped his head up again, and stuck a square bandage to his cheek. Better not entice any questions.

“All good?” Lou asked when Jay returned to the living room. Without waiting for a response, the man carried on. “Good. You can go to Cole’s room. The letter for is there. And-“

“ . . . And?” Jay was quickly beginning to hate having to prompt people to carry on.

“Make it quick. You didn’t tell me you’d become quite infamous in Ninjago.”

“Infamous?”

Lou nodded to the TV. It had been muted, which was why Jay hadn’t paid it any mind. But now he wondered how he’d missed the sight.

He was on it. Every one of his awkward features in perfect HD. Images of the half destroyed dojo and the hospital flashed through the screen. A reporter momentarily took over the screen, before moving on to a video of Jay’s battle with the small snakes.

If Jay had thought his eyes had glowed before- ha! That had been _nothing_. On screen, Jay’s eyes were almost _sparking_ as he fought. Worse of all, was the smile on his face. Goosebumps crawled up his arms. Jay looked . . . dangerous.

“I- It’s- . . . I mean, I’m not-“

“I don’t need to hear it.” Lou waved him away. “Just try to be quick. Half the city must be chasing you by now.”

“O-okay . . .?” Jay stumbled back, then nodded. “Yeah. Okay. You’re probably right? I don’t- I’ll go.”  
Jay turned, then rushed up the stairs to Cole’s room.

And more importantly, to Cole’s letter.

* * *

**BEFORE**

“Cole?”

Jay’s voice was soft and mumbled, syllables slurring as he tried to force himself to wake. Jay rolled over on his bed, trying to keep his phone pressed to his ear.

_Jay. Hi._

“Cole, it’s three in the morning.” Jay whined. “Just because you never sleep doesn’t mean you get to bully me. I have class tomorrow.”

_I know, I know._ Cole was silent. Jay’s mind began to drift off. _I just- I wanted to talk._

“Mmm.” Jay said. “Ok?”

_Sorry, nevermind. I’ll let you sleep._

“No!” Jay sat up quickly, jolting his body awake. “Cole, are you okay?”

_Yeah. Yeah, I am. Just- Just sort of lonely? I don’t know. It’s stupid.  
_

“It’s not stupid.” Jay said. “What do you want to talk about? I don’t want you to feel lonely. It’s the worst.”

_It really is. So, talk to me then. About anything._

“You sure? You know I can talk forever. We’re both going to suffer the consequences tomorrow. “Jay swung his legs over the side of the bed, swinging them back and forth as he spoke. Talking to Cole always made him excessively energetic.

_I’m down for suffering, if you’re suffering too._

“You are _so_ romantic.”

_Thank you. I try._

Jay giggled. He’d never really giggled before but boy, oh boy, since he’d met Cole he hadn’t been able to stop. “Okay. So topics. Topics. Got any preferences?"

_Not really. I just want to hear you talk_. Cole went silent. _It . . . it makes me feel better._

“Okay.” Jay almost whispered the word, feeling his cheeks flood with heat. “Okay. Well. Did you know that bananas are, like, _the_ best food for your brain? They boost brain function, so you’re basically smarter. Or, well, more alert. Which makes you think better. Sort of?

“So, anyway, what I’m thinking is- if I eat enough of them, could I become a genius? Surpass Cyrus Borg? Make my _own_ OverCorp?” Jay used his hands animatedly as he spoke. “I have so many ideas. They’re basically bursting out of my brain. That’s why I talk out loud all the time. If I kept it in, I’d explode.”

_No doubt._

“The problem is executing the ideas. Doing things is hard. Not only do I have to focus, but I have to _know_ things. It’s a dilemma.” Jay said. “So, the solution? Eat as many bananas as I can without killing myself, become a genius, and bamm! Smooth sailing from there, partner.”

_You’re_ already _a genius, Jay._

“Flattery will get you _everywhere_ , young sir.” Jay chuckled. “Please keep going.”

_Well, your mom’s a genius. And you’re that, and then some. I’ve no doubt you’ll be one of the greatest minds of Ninjago in no time._

“My mom?”

_Well. Like. Your parents. You know. They’re- They’re both pretty smart! They’re good at building stuff, aren’t they? I was really impressed with that statue they made of you._

“Ugh. Do _not_ bring that up. I was the _furthest_ from impressed.”

_Aw. I thought it was a good representation of you._

“And I thought you were a good boyfriend.” Jay let himself fall back against the bed. “I hate you.”

_Love you too, freckles._

* * *

**AFTER**

It took Jay a solid minute to be able to read Cole’s words.

Somehow, seeing his handwriting all over again, triggered a newfound wave of sadness. This was no rushed scribble of an address and a cryptic sentence. No. These were carefully crafted words. Carefully crafted . . . for _Jay_.

Jay wiped his tears away for the second time. Then he picked up the paper, and read.

_Jay-  
_

_I hope my dad gives you this. He’s not happy about any of the things that have to do with you. I’m sorry._

_This letter isn’t about my dad, though. It’s about you. You’re special, Jay. Very much so. You probably already know, by the time you read this. And I want to say sorry about that too. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you anything. I’m sorry for the secrets. And I’m sorry for whatever you’ve been through, that led you to my words._

_I need you to trust me. One last time._

_Get out of the city. As fast as you can. It’s not safe here for you. Not here, not with anyone. Head into the desert. Hide out with your parents. Okay? It’s crazy, I know, and you hate going into things without explanations, but I don’t have time to write it all down. You’ll just have to have a little trust._

_I love you. Ok?_

_P.S. If you want to see the things I found, the password is FreckledGenius (Sappy, I know. Shut up)_

_Cole_

Jay could no longer wipe away his tears.

They flowed freely and he couldn’t stop them. It was too much. The letter, his powers, _himself_. Every frustration of the past day (The past _month_ ) spilled out of him without permission. Jay pressed a hand against his mouth, trying to be quiet, trying to stop crying, and accomplishing nothing.

Why did things have to hurt so much? Jay hated it, hated life, hated Cole, hated everything! He would have given up anything, if the world would only stop spinning. If the burning sensation in his chest would stop staring him apart. He didn’t want to keep going.

A quick and violent knock on the front door snapped Jay out of his tears. He blinked and sniffled, moving to Cole’s window to see who was outside.

Garmadon. Guess the man had gotten tired of waiting.

A few small gasps from breath escaped Jay as his body tried to get used to not crying. Cole’s letter had been scrunched up in his shaking hand, and was so filled with tears that some of the ink had begun to run. Jay glanced over the words again.

He had the password and he had the drive. But he also had new instructions. _Get out of the city._

“Okay.” Jay whimpered. “I trust you, Cole. I trust you.”

Jay knew all too well how to exit the house without being spotted by anyone. He wasn’t, by any means, a ‘bad boy’ but he’d done his fair share of sneaking in and out of Cole’s house. He knew the window at the end of the hall would lead him to surprisingly sturdy garden trestle. And he knew, that all he’d have to do from there was climb down.

Shoving the letter into the pocket of Cole’s hoodie, Jay ran out of the room, and down the hall. He stole bits and pieces of Lou’s conversation with Garmadon.

“He’s been up there for too long. I’m sorry, but the information Cole recovered might be time sensitive.” Garmadon’s voice. It sounded like he was still outside.

“Well, _I’m_ sorry, but the boy lost someone very dear to him. I feel like he deserves a few minutes alone, don’t you?” Jay faltered at Lou’s words. They were . . . kind. Tears threatened to overwhelm him again. He pushed forward.

Soon enough, Jay had climbed down, and was rushing through Cole’s backyard. If he hopped the fence, Jay knew he’d end up in a small park. From there, it would be easy to reach the city. And then, a bus _out_ of it.

His face being in the news was a problem. But he’d figure it out later.

Jay jumped over the fence with a bit of a struggle, landing on his back on the other side. Momentarily winded, Jay sat up.

“Okay. Okay. Parents house. I can do that. It’s- _mmph!_ ” Jay’s words were sliced to silence as a hand was pressed over his mouth. Jay screamed against it, struggling and threatening to spark.

“Jay stop, it’s me!”

Jay pushed the hand away. He whirled around, and stood. “Nya!”

“Yeah, maybe don’t shout?”

“Right. Right.” Jay hoped the night was dark enough to hide his swollen eyes. “What are you doing here?”

“My brother made me leave the hospital. Said it was ‘dangerous’. I figured it had everything to do with you, and with Cole. When I saw in the news that you’d leveled the hospital-“

“I wouldn’t say _leveled_.”

“-I figured the best place to look or wait for you would be here. Either you’d show up, or I’d break in and find answers myself.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Didn’t you break in?”

“No!” Jay half-shouted. He shook his head and bit his lip, struggling to control his volume. “No, I was invited in, thank you. I broke _out_. I have to get out of the city. I don’t know what’s going on, but Cole left me a letter, and he said I needed to go back to my parents.”

“And you trust him?”

“What else can I do?” Jay walked past Nya. His friend turned to walk alongside him. “He’s- He’s _Cole_. I don’t really believe he’d put me in danger. If he says to leave, I’ll leave.”

“And then?”

“I don’t know.”

“Great plan.”

“You don’t have to come.”

“I know.”

They walked in silence. Jay thought about the letter. About the words in it. _I love you, OK?_ So simple, so straightforward, so _Cole_. Jay wanted to believe the words so bad. He clung to them, tight, using them as fuel. He refused to think about anything past the next step forward.

That brief moment of narrow mindedness, proved to be a mistake. One moment, Jay was moving along, half a plan in mind, but most importantly, a purpose. The next, Jay was on the ground.

There was a pressure on his chest, keeping him in place. Jay heard Nya struggling somewhere beside him, and he figured she must be in the same predicament. Then, she went silent.

“Nya?” Jay struggled, but whoever was keeping him still was stronger.

“You want something done, you do it yourself.” Said a voice, familiar and unfamiliar all at once. “No tricks this time, Jay.”

In a flash of pain, Jay’s world went black.


	7. A Bolt From the Blue

**Chapter Seven- A Bolt From the Blue**

**AFTER**

“-you should’ve let me do this from the start. I’m good at what I do. Unlike your time-twisted lackeys.”

Jay was somewhere he did not want to be. He gathered this much in the brief, muddled seconds when his consciousness rekindled. He was laying back against a cold surface. His head throbbed. And there was a painful prickling spreading steadily throughout his body.

“You know exactly why I was hesitant to trust you, Ronin.”

“And you know I work for the highest bidder. Don’t take the past personally.”

“How noble of you.” Jay tried to shift his body as the conversation continued. The voices sounded both too far and too close.

“Hey, a guy’s got to make a living.” Jay recognized this voice as belonging to his attacker. The voice that had sounded familiar. He tried to open his eyes, but was instantly his by a wave of nausea.

The prickling sensation continued to get worse. Now, Jay felt as if he were being probed by hundreds of needles. Most of them centering around his head.

“You’ve gotten your payment.” The unfamiliar voice said. “Any reason you’re still here?”

“Cold,” The other voice laughed. “See you around then. Don’t forget who really gets the job done next time you need something. I’m not one to destroy buildings as I work, either. Mostly.”

Steps glided right past Jay. He wanted to call out, but they were gone before he could manage much more than a whimper. Now, he was alone with whoever had been trying to trap him in the first place.

The person standing no more than a few feet away had sent the snake warriors. The Grundle. And . . . Could they be responsible for Cole’s death, too?

When Jay opened his eyes, it took a minute for the world around him to come into focus. His head still throbbed, and if he’d eaten anything lately, he had a feeling it would have come right up.

“Awake, are you?” A man step forward. A man that . . . Jay recognized. He’d seen him on TV, on billboards, on the website where he’d applied for an internship at _OverCorp_. Krux, the vice-president of the largest company in Ninjago. “Unfortunate for you. It’ll only make things more painful.”

“Where am I?” Jay sat up, and the question became more pressing as he took in more of his surroundings. He was locked in a small glass box, which was barely big enough for him to move in. Behind Krux, was a vast array of monitors. And working away at multiple sets of keyboards, was a bright green two-legged snake.

_-a bright green two-legged snake._

Serpentine. As in, the race of snakes that _should not exist._

“I’m sure you can discern where you are, _Jay_. I’ve heard you’re very smart. Or at least, very lucky.” The man stepped forward. “Care to guess?”

“Well. I’d say I’m inside _OverCorp_. Somehow. But that doesn’t make this _thing_ make any sort of sense. “Stepped up to the glass. His legs wavered, and he had to press himself against it to stay on his feet. “What’s the deal here? What do you want with me? I’m pretty sure I’ve never even talked to you. Unless, maybe, it was on an email. When I applied? Did I say something that upset you, or something?”

“Not at all. I’m not interested in you, specifically speaking.” Krux shrugged. “I’m more interested in the secrets your dear dead mother planted inside your brain, before she died. That’s what this machine is for. To extract everything that makes you . . . _you_.”

“What?” Jay didn’t know what to focus on. The machine. Or the fact that this man thought his mother was dead. Which she wasn’t. Right?

“I know. I suppose technology can be useful at times. Except without it, I wouldn’t have a _problem_ in the _first_ place.”

“I-“ Jay shook his head. The pain was increasing. Was the machine going to kill him? It sure felt like it. “What do you mean dead mother? My mom’s fine. She doesn’t even live _in_ Ninjago city. And how would she- how would she have put anything inside my brain? She’s a mechanic. Not a- a whatever the heck it takes to do something like that.”

Behind Krux, the monitors flickered to life. The serpentine hopped excitedly. “I g-got it, sir!”

“Perfect timing for once, Clancee.” Krux smiled at Jay, but not in a manner that made him feel any better. “You ready to meet your _birth_ mother, Jay? She was kind enough to leave a good-bye message. And Cole was somehow smart enough to find it. Though it didn’t do him much good, did it?”

All at once, the monitors began to play a video. The background of it showed a lab. Filling up most of the screen though, was a young woman. Her blonde hair fell in waves around her face. She had an array of wild freckles and wide, curious blue eyes.

“ _Okay. So you found my notes. Whoever you are, I hope you’re trustworthy. The things I’m putting on this drive are heavy stuff. It’s also incomplete. But with the proper counterpart, my secrets are all yours._ “ The woman’s voice made Jay’s heart lurch. He could see himself reflected upon her features. “ _I know it’s a mistake to keep my research alive. But as a scientist . . . getting rid of these discoveries simply doesn’t work._  


“ _Ninjago just . . . wasn’t ready yet. But we could be! Humans with abilities beyond what we can imagine. Defying death._ Time travel! _Wielded properly, all of these things could keep Ninjago in prosperity._ ” The woman paused here, looking behind her. When she looked back at the camera, she looked afraid. “ _So, obviously, I don’t have much time. Can you feel the ticking clock on my chest_?’  


A sound of abrasive footsteps came from the video’s background. Then, unintelligible shouts. “ _The second part of my research, I’ve hidden in the safest place I could think of. I’ll attach note on how to recover it safely. Please, don’t hurt my baby. It was a mistake to involve him, but what’s done is done, right?_  


“ _Jay. Jay. If it’s you watching this, I’m sorry. Sorry for what I did, sorry for being reckless and sorry for not being there. They’ll take good care of you, Ed and Edna. They always took good care of me._ ” The woman laughed softly, tears streaming down her face. “ _I-_ “

Krux stopped the video with a scoff. “A waste of time to watch. I already knew where the research had wound up.”

“B-but wouldn’t you like to see- to see how to get it, without- without hurting him?” The serpentine looked at Jay. His eyes showed more compassion than the old man’s. “It- It’s all right here, Cap’n, if you-“

“Of course I don’t care about his safety. I care about efficiency. I’ve waited too long . . .”

Jay fell back. Both out of confusion and pain. Birth mother? So he was . . . but _no_. His parents would have told him. They would have-. . . The prickling sensation morphed into burning pain. The room was doing something to him.

“Besides. We already started.” Krux chuckled. “Would be a shame to stop, only for the sake of keeping him alive.”

The door beside Clancee burst open. Another snake. “Krux! Sir, there’s been a breach in-“

Before the snake could continue, everything around them was plunged into darkness. Blackout.

“Watch the door! Im _not_ losing-“ There was a loud thud, and Krux’s voice was silenced. Jay heard the small green snake give a squeal of surprise, before it was silenced too. Suddenly, someone was lifting him off his feet.

“Hang on. We’re getting out of here.” The stranger’s voice was soft. Jay obeyed. He didn’t have much strength for anything else.

They rushed forward through the halls. The stranger had no problem navigating the dark. Jay shut his eyes. His heart was beating fast, too fast. There was something familiar, something impossibly familiar, but no, no it couldn’t be. The room had done something to him and it couldn’t be.

Fresh air slapped Jay’s attention into sharp focus. He opened his eyes just in time to see the stranger rushing to the edge of the roof. Jay clung tighter, his voice turning into a squeal. “Hey, hey, hey, don’t jump, please, I-“

The stranger leapt. Jay screamed, watching as the stranger shot upwards with a grappling hook. It hooked onto something Jay couldn’t see, and they swung through the air, before finally landing on a different roof.

Perfect landing. Somehow, the stranger had stayed on his feet. He set Jay down gently, nudging toward a set of metal stairs that ran down the side of the building.

“Someone’s waiting for you on the first floor. They’ll keep you safe.” The stranger spoke in gruff tones, tones that were _forcefully_ deepened. Fake.

Jay didn’t move. A flickering light revealed that the stranger was wearing a mask.

“You’re okay, right?” The stranger’s voice was muffled. The mask hid most of his features. But not his eyes.

“No! I am _not._ ” Jay hissed the words out. Then, he did the only thing left to do.

He reached forward, pulling off the stranger’s mask in one fluid motion.

His suspicions confirmed, all Jay wanted to do was scream.

It was _Cole._

* * *

  
**THE EDGE OF AFTER**

Jay had never felt like this before.

He didn’t know who he was. He didn’t know where he was going. He didn’t know if it mattered.  


All he knew, was that something was _wrong_. Something was _missing_. He could no longer remember what it was, but it was tearing at his chest, making it impossible to breathe.  


The sound of thunder shook him, after blinding lights snapped across Jay’s vision. Lightning. Somehow, Jay had a feeling it had come from him. That _he_ was breaking apart, and the sky was breaking with him.  


Another flash of light. Another. _Another_.  


When the lightning flashed for a fifth time, Jay’s mind returned to him.  


_Cole’s gone_ , He heard Cole’s father say. _I’m really sorry_.  


Gone?  


Gone.  


Jay pressed his hands against his eyes, feeling tears that were both fresh and dry. He was supposed to go to the hospital. He didn’t want to.  


When Jay lowered his hands, he realized he was covered in snapping whips of electricity. He began to shake, afraid and confused, and still hurt. So hurt. The electricity only worsened.  


There was another flash, with thunder so loud it burst through Jay’s eardrums like a gunshot. Jay stumbled back ( _gunshot wound to the chest, I’m really sorry, Cole’s gone_ ) tripping over the sidewalk and falling onto it.  


Cole was gone, and the world was ending. Cole was gone, and something within Jay had broken forever.  


All through the street, the streetlights burst. All together, in a quick, painful _snap_. Jay folded his knees into himself, holding them tight, pressing his face against them to block out reality.  


Cole was gone. And nothing mattered anymore.  


* * *

**AFTER**

“ _Cole._ ”  


Jay’s voice cracked as he half-whispered, half-shouted the name. Everything around him seemed to shift out of place. He was adopted. His birth mother had used him for some bizarre experiment. And Cole was _alive?_  


Was anything real? Had anything ever _been_ real? Jay had only felt this spinning panic once before. It had ended with him destroying half a block of Ninjago city. He’d only gotten away without being identified, thanks to Nya’s perfect timing.  


“You’re dead,” Jay said the words automatically. The sky above them both rumbled. ‘ You’re _dead_.”  


“Jay I- Jay we can’t stay here, and you need to calm down, okay?” Cole glanced up at the sky with a worried look. He held both hands out, reaching for Jay. “There’s- there’s someone waiting and-“  


“Calm _down?_ Like it’s- like it’s easy? Like my life hasn’t turned out to be one big lie? Oh, but you’ve always been so level-headed haven’t you? Of course it’s easy for you to say _calm down_.” Jay stepped back, away from Cole’s reach.  


“Jay, you’re a little too powerful to be throwing a tantrum.”  


“A _tantrum?_ ” Jay laughed. Lightning snapped from the sky, onto the roof. The building shook beneath them. “Cole, you left me. You- You died. But you’re clearly not dead, not to mention, you’d apparently died before!”  


“It’s-. . . Complicated, Jay.”  


“It doesn’t have to be!” Jay growled the words out. He couldn’t believe Cole was seriously trying to talk him down. Like he was a _child_. Like he hadn’t lived through hell in the past day. “It doesn’t have to be, if you’d just _talk to me!_ ”  


Jay’s words were accompanied by an involuntary whip of lightning. It soared forward, aimed straight at Cole’s body. Realization coursed through him, the world slowing just enough for Jay to watch the inevitable. He hadn’t wanted to hurt Cole, not really, not ever, but-  


For one bizarre instant, Cole’s body seemed to fade. Jay was able to just . . . see right through it. The arc of lightning wooshed past, and Cole’s body solidified again.  


Seconds ticked. Jay stared at Cole, and Cole stared right back, neither knowing how to continue. Darkness descended again, as Jay’s powers faded back into his body.  


“Just talk to me. Please, just talk to me.” Jay shook his head. He felt like crying, but no more tears would come.  


“Okay, Jay.” Cole held his hand out. Jay noticed it was shaking. “Let’s talk.”  


Jay didn’t take it. He crossed his arms over his chest. “Why are you here, Cole? _How?_ And home come, in the hospital, it- it said you’d already died. Two years ago. But that’s when we met. It doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense and I am seconds away from losing my mind.”  


“You promise to believe me? Even if it sounds crazy?”  


“After the things I’ve seen today? Yeah. Yeah I’ll believe you.”  


“Okay.” Cole bit his lip. “I _did_ die two years ago.”  


“What?”  
“You said you’d believe me, don’t forget.” Cole said. Slowly, his body faded, just like before. Curiosity beating out any sense of anger, Jay reached out, slipping his hand right through Cole’s body. Cole raised an eyebrow at him. “Really?”  


“Hey, I have to make sure this isn’t some sort of clever trick.” Jay moved his hand back. “Apparently, you’re very good at those.”  


Cole looked away, as his body returned to normal. “I died. But I didn’t. Someone found me just in time to offer me another chance. At a price, of course.”  
“Garmadon.”  


“Garmadon.” Cole nodded. “He said he liked my potential. That, with the added bonus of being dead and alive, I would be a very valuable asset.”  


“You could’ve done anything. So why protect me?”  


“You looked very endearing on your file.” Cole teased, but Jay had a feeling there was far more to it than that. “And I never regretted my decision.”  


“Was dating part of the protection plan? So I trusted you more?”  


“Dating . . . was not part of the plan. Garmadon wasn’t happy about it.” Cole shrugged. “I couldn’t help it. There was nothing I wanted more than to be with you.”  


For a moment, Jay almost broke. He almost ran into Cole’s arms, almost let himself be held, almost let himself kiss the lips he’d missed so very badly. But then, another question occurred to him. “Then why did you leave me?”  


“I was trying to keep you safe.”  


“ _How?_ It wasn’t until you left that my powers showed up. It wasn’t until you left that things started falling apart.”  


“They’d already found you before I faked my death. And there were other things . . . I knew we couldn’t trust anyone anymore. I needed to everyone to think I was off the map for good, so I could pull the right strings.” Cole shook his head. “And it would have worked, if you’d been better at minding your own business.”  


“I needed to find out what happened to you!”  


“ _Why?_ ”  


“You think I was just going to- . . . to move on? Move back in with my parents? Not question anything ever again?”  


“Yes!” Cole said. “I would have protected you then. Forever.”  


“I would have never forgotten you, Cole.” Jay scoffed. “You’re an idiot.”  


“Sure. An idiot.” Cole’s eyes hardened for a second. Jay’s stomach twisted. There seemed to be more secrets still hiding beneath. “I just wanted you alive, Jay.”  


“Well, I am.”  


“Not for long. Not if we stay here. I talked to you, and I listened. Can you listen to _me_ now?”  


“Right. Someone’s waiting for me. To ‘keep me safe’.” Jay trotted over to the stairs that led to the ground. Cole rushed forward, eager to stay close. “I suppose we might as well. But this whole thing? It’s not over. And if I didn’t really need some sleep, I wouldn’t go anywhere with you. I hope you know that.”  


“Noted.”  


Jay allowed his steps to echo loudly, each pounding heavier than the last. He thrived on the looked of frustration Cole kept flashing at him. _Good. Be mad._  


When they reached the bottom, there was someone waiting. Jay hardly had the energy to feel surprised.  


“Oh, hi.” Jay laughed. “Few hours no see, Kai.”


	8. Safe for Now

  
**Chapter Eight- Safe for Now**

**AFTER**   


“Jay. Glad you’re still okay.”

“Barely.” Jay grimaced. “Please don’t tell me you knew Cole was alive.”

“I won’t if you don’t ask.” Kai said, leading Jay down the street. Cole followed in silence. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t tell you. We had to figure out- . . . had to figure out _all_ the pieces of the puzzle first.”

“What puzzle? And why? Wouldn’t it have been better to make sure I was prepared? To have me _know_ what was going on?”

“No. Because you wouldn’t have left it alone. And you would have only incited Krux and Garmadon and Wu to try and get ahold of you sooner.” Kai shook his head. “And we don’t really know if any of them are worth trusting. I mean. At least we knew for sure what Krux wants. But what about Garmadon and Wu?”

“I don’t know, Kai. What _about_ Garmadon and Wu?”

Instead of answering, Kai stopped before a large black van. Jay eyed it warily. “I this the part where I get murdered?”

“Right. Because I’d definitely want to hurt you.” Cole’s voice made Jay’s heart jolt. His mind was still reeling with the fact of his existence. Cole knocked against the van’s door, in a practice pattern of raps.

“I mean you made me believe you were dead. What’s that, if it’s not hurting me?”

“You really want to argue?”

“ _Of course_ I want to argue. I told you I wasn’t done with-“

The door to the van slid open, surprising Jay into silence. A young man peeked out, scanning the crowd before him. His hair was a very, _very_ light shade of blond. To go along with it, were his eyes, shining in a very _very_ light shade of blue.

“I was beginning to worry. I saw the storm.” The guy said. “Oh. Cole. I thought we were going to keep you a secret?

“Change of plans, Zane.” Cole shrugged, slipping into the van. He plopped down on the driver’s seat, bringing the van to life with a rough twist of the key. “But we’re still getting out of the city. Let’s go.”

Zane gave a nod. He then held his hand out in Jay’s direction. “Hello. It is nice to officially meet. My name is Zane.”

“Hi,” Jay took the young man’s hand, flinching at the tight grip. “Ow.”

“Let’s get this show on the road, then.” Kai patted Jay’s shoulder, before stepping into the van. With one last look around him, Jay followed.

The back of the van was devoid of seats, leaving a wide space open. The floor itself was carpeted, so it wasn’t too uncomfortable. Zane moved to the passenger seat. Kai stayed by Jay’s sided.

“I thought _you_ worked for Wu,” Jay said, after a few seconds of silence. “How did you . . . why are you with Cole?”

“Did you see what was in the flash drive?” Cole asked, briefly looking back to through the rearview mirror.

“I was talking to _Kai._ ” Jay said but answered anyway. “I saw some of it, but Krux shut it off before the end. Why?”

“That means you missed the best part! The big dramatic reveal, of Dr. Gordon’s team.” Kai said.

“Who?” 

“Well see, first you gotta have a little background. Your mother’s research was dangerous stuff. In the wrong hands that is. So her and her team agreed to stop.” Kai began to explain. “That should have been fine. But then, the very next day after the agreement, your mother just . . . disappeared.

“She must have known she was in danger. She made the video. She hid her research. She put _you_ somewhere safe.”

Jay stayed silent.

“So the question is, what happened? And whose fault was it? It had to be someone from her team. No one else would have known anything. And _who_ was this team, you ask me? It was-“

“Kux.” Jay answered, realizing there was no need to hear Kai’s response. “Garmadon. Wu.”

“ . . . Yeah. Way to steal my thunder.” Kai scoffed. “Anyway, yes. Cole’s convinced there was a fifth member, too. But there isn’t any information to back that up, so personally I think Cole’s just a little paranoid. Either way, the video doesn’t _show_ anyone else. It’s just Krux, Garmadon and Wu, bursting into Dr. Gordon’s lab.”

“And?”

“And that’s it. The video glitches after that.”

“Oh.”

“So we don’t know anything about what happened afterwards. Garmadon says he wants to keep you safe. Wu says he wants to train you. But we don’t _know._ We all started working together, once we figured out we were missing something. We made a plan, to keep you safe. To get you out of the city.

“Unfortunately, you didn’t do _any_ of the things we expected. You waltzed right into Garmadon’s hands, into Krux’s and _almost_ into Wu’s.”

Jay rubbed his aching eyes. Now that the adrenaline was fading, he wasn’t sure how his brain was still functioning. “And Nya? Is she in on this too?”

“No. She doesn’t know anything and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“She might know more than you think. She followed me to Cole’s house. She- oh _crap!_ ”

“What?”

“When- when I got taken! To Krux! She was with me! I didn’t- I can’t believe I _forgot_.”

“ _What?_ Cole, wait. My sister. My sister, was she at _OverCorp_?”

“I don’t think so?” Cole glanced back. “I doubt Krux would take her. She’s probably-“

“We have to go look for her!”

“No, we have to get Jay out of here. We’re not deviating from the plan.”

“We _already_ deviated from the plan, lover boy.” Kai shook his head. “Let me out then. I need to make sure she’s okay.”

Cole grimaced. With frown of anxious regret, he eventually slowed to a stop by the side of the road. “Be careful, Kai.”

“Yeah, yeah. Thanks for having my back, by the way.”

“Kai, I-“

Kai waved away Cole’s words, stepping out of the van and slamming the door shut. Without hesitating, Cole then sped back into the night, the force of it swinging Jay against the back of the van. “Jeez. Ow. So where _are_ we going then, that’s so important we can’t get Nya?”

“I told you, didn’t I?” Cole said. “To the only two people that have managed to keep you safe.”

* * *

**BEFORE**

Cole never forgot about the boy in the lab.

He couldn’t have, of course. Even if he’d wanted to.

Cole’s father had been working on a movie. He was _always_ working on _something._ It made for a lonely childhood, but at least today, Cole was finally old enough to be allowed to tag along. He kept as quiet as he could on the drive there, eager to prove he wouldn’t be a nuisance.

“ _OverCorp_ is a very big place, Cole. You need to stay close to where we’ll be filming. I don’t want to hear you’re causing trouble. It took a lot for them to allow us to use one of their labs.”

“I won’t.” Cole tried his best to keep his legs from swinging back and forth, but the excitement as _OverCorp_ loomed into view was impossible to contain.

“Good.” Cole’s father gave a curt nod. He then began to spout off a list of rules for Cole’s behavior. Cole only half listened. He knew how to stay out of trouble.

_OverCorp_ was the biggest building in the city. Cole felt very small as he and his father walked through the halls.

For the first hour or so, Cole was content with staying near the film crew. He sat back, out of the way, with a cream cheese bagel and his father’s script. He liked watching people act. And he could mouth the scenes right along with them. His father _never_ stopped practicing.

Soon though, Cole became antsy.

Slipping out of the room was easy. No one was paying attention to him.

Cole reasoned with himself that, as long as he stayed in the same floor as the crew, he wouldn’t really be causing trouble. Besides, the people working in _OverCorp_ didn’t pay him any mind either. They all shared the same thoughtful look as the rushed past, some mumbling about one idea or the other, some with noses buried in stacks of notes.

Most of the rooms Cole peeked into were labs, just like the one his dad was in. They were interesting only in theory. Without knowing what anything _was_ or how it worked, Cole quickly found himself getting bored. It wasn’t fair. There had to be something to do.

As he was debating on turning back and spending the rest of his time doodling on the back of the scripts, a small knock demanded his attention.

Cole turned to the sound. A small boy stood on the other side of a large window. He looked younger than Cole, maybe four or five years old. Chubby cheeks and freckles were pressed against the glass. “Hey! Hey! Can you open the door?”

The kid pointed to the left, to the door that led into the room he was in. Cole looked from it to the kid. It somehow seemed like trouble. Cole didn’t move.

“Please. I’m really bored. My mom’s working and there’s nothing to _do._ ”

“Your mom works here?” Cole stepped closer to the window. Once he peeked inside, he saw that the room the boy was in was comfortably furnished, filled with toys and books. It was nothing like the other rooms.

“Yep. I’m supposed to stay here, _always_. But I’m bored. _Always._ Can you open the door?”

“If you’re supposed to stay there . . .”

“Come in and play with me then!” The small boy banged against the glass insistently. “Please _eee!_ ”

The boy dragged the word on and on, his voice getting shriller and shriller. Cole gritted his teeth. “Okay! I’ll play with you.”

“Hooray!” The boy leapt up, then fell out of view. Cole moved to the door. He supposed playing with someone was a little better than being all alone.

From the outside, the door opened easily. Cole took off his shoes, wedging them against the frame to prevent it from shutting. The kid bounced around him, shooting questions faster than Cole could answer.

“So why are you here? Does your mom work here too? How old are you? What’s your name? What’s your favorite color? Do you live outside? In the city? Or do you live here too? Oh! Oh! Do you have a pet? Do you have _siblings?_ Do- ack!” The small boy tripped over a set of toys. He seemed unbothered by the interruption though, and ready to continue his rapid-fire questions. Cole had to act quickly.

He shoved his hand in the boy’s direction, acquiring a professional look he’d seen his father take many times. “My name is Cole. What’s yours?”

The boy giggled wildly, clinging onto Cole’s hand with both of his own. He then shook it, way more than was necessary.

“I’m Jay!”

* * *

**AFTER**

Jay had never been so happy to see a simple bowl of warm soup.

He took a spoonful. Then another. Yeah. He definitely wanted to cry a little. “This is so good.”

“You’re just hungry.” His mother laughed. For a brief moment, Jay’s mind reeled. ( _I’m adopted. Adopted._ ) He pushed the thoughts away. He didn’t want to talk about it. Not now. “Finish up and then go get some rest. We can all talk tomorrow.”

“Wait, Ma, about the news, I-“

“Tomorrow, Jay.” She planted a kiss on the top of his head. “Okay? I’m sure you’ve got enough to process without me butting in.”

“No kidding. I can’t believe Cole is . . . I can’t believe anything anymore.”

His mother was silent for a while. Jay went back to the soup. The more it filled his belly, the heavier his eyelids grew. Still, his body remained on edge. He couldn’t make himself believe he was _really_ safe.

“It was quite the doozy, when I heard Cole’s voice over the phone. You should ask your father about it. I almost plopped down, right then and there.” Edna shook her head. “Didn’t know what to think! Then you both really did show up. You two, and that other little friend.”

“Zane.” Jay said, emptying his bowl. “I just met him. He- . . . He’s friends with Cole. Or something. I don’t _know._ ”

“Go to bed, Jay. You’re home. You’re safe.”

“I guess.” Jay chuckled softly. “I’ll try.”

Sleeping was every bit as difficult as Jay imagined it would be. The clock ticked, and his eyes stayed open, mind swirling with thoughts of everything. His birth mother. She’d known his parents. Why hadn’t they ever mentioned her? How close had they been?

Not only that, but how much had his parents known about him? About his abilities?

Jay tossed over on his bed.

Then there was Cole. His mind was basically drowning in thoughts of him. His face, his words, and all the billion of unexplained things that hovered around his boyfriend.

Jay tossed again. Ex- boyfriend?

He could hear him outside, chatting calmly with Zane. Keeping him safe. Jay sat up. Rest was overrated. They needed to talk _now._

Sneaking out of the trailer was easy. Jay knew exactly where to step, in order to avoid making any noise. As he stepped out of the trailer, Zane and Cole fell silent. Cole kept his eyes lowered, but Zane gave him a kind smile. “Could not sleep?”

“Not really. I’m exhausted but my mind won’t shut up. Fun, huh?” Jay’s hands began to fidget. “Do you think I could . . . talk to you? . . . Cole?”

Cole’s eyes snapped up. “Oh. Now?”

“No, in five years.” Jay huffed out a breath. Any nerves he might have been feeling were quickly replaced by frustration. “Yes, now.”

“You should probably try to rest.”

“ _Cole._ ”

“Okay, okay.” Cole threw his hands up in surrender. There was a small smile tugging at his lips. “No matter the situation, your nagging knows no bounds, huh?”

“Shut up.”

“I’ll be right back Zane. Keep an eye out?”

“Will do. Take your time. I will alert you if anything happens.”

Jay shoved his hands into his pockets, to keep habit from having him reach out and take Cole’s. They paced around the junkyard together. Jay hadn’t been too fond of growing up within it, but if there was a positive, it was that there was _always_ a place for privacy.

“You hurt me a lot, you know.” When Jay finally spoke, his voice was soft. “I don’t want to be mad at you. Not really. I lost you but suddenly I didn’t and it’s a miracle but at the same time I just . . . I hate you for making me go through it.”

“Jay, you needed to be on your own. You needed to-“

“ _No._ No, Cole. Don’t. Don’t make up some high and mighty excuse for why you did what you did. Please. It was messed up! I never felt as bad as I did, thinking I’d lost you. What if I’d made a stupid decision, huh, Cole? Did you think about how hard it was for me, to wake up and _exist_ every day? Knowing you were gone?” Jay stopped walking, turning to face Cole. “ _Look_ at me, Cole.”

Cole didn’t. Not at first. But when he finally did, Jay saw his own pain mirrored in Cole’s eyes.

“I never really left, Jay. Not really. I always did what I needed to to, to make sure you were safe. I would have stepped in, if you’d- if you’d needed me.”

“Back at the hospital. Did you- Was that _you_ you?”

“Yes!” Cole reached out, but stopped himself. “ Was it stupid? Yes. Did I hate it? Yes. But you have to trust me, Jay. This was the only way you’d- you- the only way you were safe. But now, now you know I’m here, and it isn’t part of the plan, and I don’t want to lose you again.”

“Hey, you saw me kick Grundle butt. You’re not going to lose me.”

“I saw _Garmadon_ kick Grundle butt.”

“Irrelevant.” Jay shrugged. “Thanl you for admitting it was stupid.”

“You’re welcome.” Cole said. “I really am sorry. Can we . . . can we be okay?”

A very stubborn part of Jay wanted to be mad forever. _Beyond_ forever, even. How could he ever begin to trust Cole again? Fake death aside, there was still the fact that Cole had hidden away a whole side of his life. With each learned secret, Jay had felt something important in his connection with Cole snap. And even hearing the right words wasn’t going to put it all together again.

But most of Jay . . . most of Jay just wanted to feel safe again. If only for a moment. If only for tonight.

“For tonight.” Jay leaned into Cole’s chest, returning the tight embrace Cole quickly enveloped him in. “We can be okay.”

“What about tomorrow?”

“You’ll just have to keep proving you love me.”

“I can do that.”

Jay didn’t know when he’d started crying, but he could feel his warm tears rolling right onto Cole’s shirt. “I really thought I’d never get to hold you again.”

Cole let him go, slowly tipping Jay’s chin up before pulling him into a kiss. It only made Jay cry harder. He shook his head, stepping back to wipe the tears. “Sorry. I’m not kiss material right now. I can’t stop crying.”

“You’re _always_ kiss material. Snot and all.”

“You’re disgusting!” Jay laughed, pushing back against Cole’s chest. “Stop making me laugh.”

“No way.”

Jay sniffled. “Well, if anything, crying should put me right to sleep. Or give me the worst headache in the world and leave me to suffer.”

“I hope you rest. You need it.” Cole reached out, and this time, he didn’t pull back. He took Jay’s hand on his own. Holding on tight. “I love you, freckles.”

“I love you too. Against my better judgement.” Jay answered. “No more secretes, Okay?”

A beat of silence followed. Jay really wanted to believe it wasn’t hesitation.

“Okay.”


	9. Cause and Effect

**CHAPTER NINE- Cause and Effect**

**AFTER**

“Oh. Yeah. I lost your hoodie.”

Jay leaned against Cole’s side, snuggling up into his warm arms. They’d both found a somewhat comfortable couch, precariously placed atop a mound of junk. It was probably not the safest place to sit, but passing up the view was impossible.

“Really?”

“I mean, I didn’t _lose_ it. I guess Krux took it when he was looking for the drive.” Jay fidgeted with his own shirt as he spoke. It felt weird, not having the extra layer of security. But he supposed he didn’t need it. Cole’s arms were infinitely better.

“You’ll just have to buy me a new one sometime.”

“Aye, aye.” Jay said. “Has Kai called you back? Did he find Nya?”

“I’m sure they’re fine. Nya wasn’t at _OverCorp_ so I imagine Ronin just left her behind. She wasn’t his assignment after all.”

“You sound like you know him.”

“Sort of. I mean, he’s a reliable guy. As long as you pay well.”

“He’s mean that’s what he is.” Jay thought about the familiarity of Ronin’s voice. He thought about mentioning it, but what was there to say? Every time Jay tried to tie the voice to a memory, he just wound up with a headache.

As the clock ticked, Jay’s eyes began to droop. He was so tired. But he didn’t want to stop talking. There was so much he wanted to _know._ “How did Garmadon find you? Help you? Hire you? Whatever?”

“He’d had his eye on me for a while, apparently. Not sure if I should find it flattering or creepy, but I’m happy enough to have gotten the job.”

“And another chance at life.”

“That, yeah.”

“Can you . . . Can you ghost yourself, whenever? Or is there like a certain requirement?”

“Whenever.”

“How come I never saw you, if you were keeping an eye on me?”

“I don’t have to be visible if I don’t want to be.”

“Hmm,” Jay’s eyes shut, but he kept his mind from following. “What’s- What’s going to happen now?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean . . . am I supposed to stay hiding, forever? My parents may have- may have kept me safe but . . . Krux or Wu or Garmadon, couldn’t they have followed us? Couldn’t they find us? I don’t want my parents hurt because of me.”

“I won’t let them get hurt.”

“I don’t want _you_ hurt because of me, either.”

“I won’t be.”

Jay made a soft sound of disapproval, but he wasn’t awake enough to argue. “The news report. How did you fake that?”

“Oh, that was all Zane. One of my dad’s friends did the acting, then Zane broadcasted it just for the people we needed to trick.”

“I get that you would have needed proof for Garmadon and Wu but . . . I _already_ believed it. You didn’t-“ Jay jolted up, a rush of adrenaline snapping his consciousness awake. “ _Wait._ Wait. Your _dad._ He _knew!?_ ”

“Oh. Well. Yeah.”

Ugh. People were far too good at lying for Jay’s comfort. He nuzzled himself further into Cole’s body with a pout. “Of course he did. Man. I’m an idiot, aren’t I?”

“You’re not. You’re not the only one that believed it. But you _are_ the only one to find the truth on your own.”

“I guess so.”

With nothing more to say, Jay’s mind managed to finally sleep. _Real_ , peaceful sleep, not the forced oblivion he had been dealing with lately. No car accidents, no being knocked out, just him, and his boyfriend’s arms.

The sleep didn’t last long. Or at least, it didn’t _feel_ long. All too soon, Jay felt his shoulder being firmly shaken, tentatively at first, then with more urgency. Cole’s voice followed. “ _Jay._ ”

Jay didn’t answer. Maybe if he ignored it, he’d be allowed to keep sleeping.

“Jay, we gotta go.”

“Hm?”

Cole forced Jay to sit up. Jay wobbled, struggling to force his eyelids to part.

“ _What?_ ” Jay rubbed his eyes as they adjusted to the rising sunlight. Cole stood beside him, squinting at the edge of the junkyard. Jay followed his gaze. There were small shapes approaching. Many of them. But he couldn’t make out what they were.

“Sorry. But I think they found us.”

“So soon?”

“Can you fight, do you think? I don’t think running will work. There’s nowhere to _go._ ” Cole’s eyes shifted, as if he were weighing many sets of options. His features were scrunched up with worry.

“I mean, I can cause damage somewhat intentionally. But I’m not too sure I’d call my awkward flailing _fighting._ ”

“It’ll have to do. Come on.”

“Okay, but what are we dealing with? I can’t- Oh.”

Instead of following the mountain of junk, Jay stayed still, rooted to the spot by the sight before him. The shapes were close enough now, to be distinguishable. His eyes filled with both fear and annoyance. Threats just couldn’t keep out his way, could they?

Climbing over the walls that surrounded the junkyard, were skeletons. They were all armed with different weapons, each just as sharp and deadly as the last. Their eye sockets glowed with red pupils, and they advanced forward at a steady pace.

“Skeletons. Yeah, okay. Why not at this point, you know?”

“Jay, come _on_ ”

Jay teared his eyes away from the sight, and back toward Cole. He climbed to the ground quickly, bouncing on his toes to try and get some sparks flowing. Problem was, he was _tired._ And, somehow, with Cole beside him, he wasn’t afraid enough to trigger anything.

“You know who we’re here for.” One of the skeletons stepped forward, clearly labeling himself as the leader. He was the largest of the bunch, with four arms instead of two, and a mean, commanding scowl. In one of his hands, he held a pair of handcuffs. They stood out to Jay because they didn’t seem to be made of metal.

“There are too many. I counted about thirty of them for each of us. Are you quite sure we should fight?” Zane trotted up to stand beside Cole. He held sharp silver shuriken in each of his hands.

“I’m not sure about anything.” Cole laughed, but Jay could see he was afraid. His hands were shaking. “No. Yes. I’m sure. Jay can take them. There might be a lot of them, but they’re weak.”

“And you would know that _how?_ ” Seeing Cole’s reaction to the oncoming threat had made him nervous enough to create some sparks. But they were small. Almost harmless.

“Just trust me.”

“Alright . . .” But Zane and Jay said the word, both with the same amount of hesitation. The three of them turned to face the oncoming threat.

With a shrill battle cry, the four-armed skeleton rushed forward, followed by all the others. The sight made Jay stumbled back, and he was finally able to conjure up enough lightning to use as a weapon.

Cole had been right. The skeletons _were_ weak. But they were endless. No matter how many Jay broke apart with an electric whip, dozens of others would take their place. He quickly lost sight of Zane and Cole, able to focus only on the threats in front of him.

Dodge. Attack. Dodge again. Jay barely felt the weapons as they grazed him. His skin healed before it even had a chance to bleed. Things felt good. For a moment. Until the fatigue of it all _hit_.

Jay’s arms and head felt heavy. His reaction time slowed. He longed to create a storm above him, to wipe away _everything_ in one fell swoop. He knew he was capable of it. But his body wouldn’t listen.

One of the skeletons managed to shove him to the ground. Jay slammed against one of the junkyard’s walls, finally realizing how far from the others he’d been pushed. He could no longer hear them.

“Can’t we talk about this?” Jay laughed softly, pushing the enemies looming closer with another wave of electricity. It wasn’t even enough to hurt them. Just an obnoxious little shove. “You don’t _have_ to kidnap me. We could be friends! I’m sure you’re all very nice.”

The skeletons around him broke into mocking laughter. It was an uncomfortable sound. Jay tried to crawl back further. “Kidnap? We-“

“ _Duck, Jay!”_

The command was so abrasive, Jay wasn’t able to question it. He curled further into himself, throwing his hands over his head for good measure. There was a loud explosion. A rush of wind and dirt slammed against him.

_Thud!_ Someone had landed directly before him. Jay uncovered his head, coming face to face with a pair of white boots. His sight continued upward, to discovered that _everything_ his rescuer wore was white. Before Jay could question the odd fashion statement, he reached the face of his new hero.

Familiar features, in the same way that Krux’s had been. He’d seen this face on TV and billboards, part of a world Jay had never expected to touch.

Chief Wu reached his hand down to help Jay stand. Jay took it, if a bit hesitantly. He did his best to smile. “Looks like the cavalry arrived just in time.”

Behind Wu, the overwhelming number of skeletons was quickly dwindled down to nothing, by the hands of the old man’s crew. A shout of _Retreat!_ Echoed through the junkyard. The skeletons did not hesitate to obey.

Jay took a step forward, almost shouting out for Cole. Then he remembered, his boyfriend was supposed to be dead.

A hand on his shoulder stopped him before he could move any further. Jay looked up at Wu. The old man’s eyes had an intensity that made Jay want to shrink.

“Thank you. For- For, yeah. But I need to check on-“

“Jay Walker.” Wu stated his name in a stiff manner. “You are under arrest for attacks on Ninjago city.

* * *

**BEFORE**

It was the final day of filming. And Jay wasn’t taking it well.

They’d grown pretty close over the last few weeks. So when Cole had told him this was the last day he’d be at _OverCorp . . ._ Well. Jay had broken into tears.

Cole felt as if he were standing in a very bright and burning spotlight. He was sure that, at any moment, an adult would burst into the room and chastise him for making Jay cry. Cole waved toys in his friend’s face, but he was beyond consolation.

“I’m sorry!” Cole didn’t even think Jay could hear him. “I’ll- I gotta go. Okay? I just- Um. I wanted to- I’m sorry.”

Cole took a few steps back. With a sigh, he turned away, and pushed the door open.

Then, he slammed against the floor.

Jay had pushed him! Not just that, he’d pushed _past_ him. In the blur of involuntary tears that washed over Cole’s eyes, he saw Jay’s small legs rushing down the hall.

“Jay, wait!” Cole stood, wiping away the tears. There was a bit of blood running down his nose, but he couldn’t feel it. The only thing in his head was, _I’m in trouble. So much trouble!_

As he turned a corner, he just caught sight of Jay sneaking into one of the labs. Cole followed him, turning his voice into a hushed whisper. “ _Jay._ You have to . . . go. . . back . . .”

Cole’s mouth gaped at the sight before him, words fading into silence. He stepped up beside Jay. A machine towered above them both. Shining metal outlining a perfect circle. A control panel to the side. And _within_ the circle, a swirling green light.

“What is- What is that?” Cole wanted to get closer. But he also wanted to run back.

“It’s mom’s!” Jay smiled. Aside from the dried tears on his cheeks, there was no sign he’d been bawling seconds before. “It’s a time machine.”

“Time machine?” Cole didn’t believe it. Jay was probably making it up. He had a tendency to do that.

“Yup!”

Cole tugged on Jay’s wrist. “We should go back to your room, okay Jay?”

“No. I’m gonna use the time machine so you can stay with me all over again!” Cole doubted Jay knew how to operate the machine well enough to do that. But when Jay stepped forward, Cole pulled back. “Let go! I’m-“

Cole pressed his hand against Jay’s mouth. Two shapes were forming within the swirling light of the machine. “Someone’s coming!”

Jay struggled, but Cole was stronger. He pulled him back, hiding them both behind one of the many lab tables around the room.

The sound of stumbling steps suddenly crashing against the floor made both Jay and Cole jump. Cole’s grip on Jay fell, but his friend made no attempt to move now.

“We’re back.” Said a voice.

“Seems like it. You know what I have to do, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I know.”

There was a flash of light. Jay peeked around the table, blue eyes glowing as they took in the scene. Cole shrunk further into himself.

“They’re going to break it!” Jay’s scream was loud. There was no way anyone could have missed it. He then jumped up, running toward his mother’s machine.

“Jay, don’t!” Cole crawled and stumbled forward, reaching out.

Something had rooted Jay to the spot. Cole was moving too fast to stop. He slammed straight into his friend’s back. With a yelp, they both fell forward.

Straight into the machine’s swirling lights.

* * *

**AFTER**

Before Jay could speak, Wu slapped a pair of handcuffs on his wrists.

“Wait, no. I wasn’t- I mean I didn’t- well I _did_ but-“

“It’s alright, Jay. I know. I understand. But after what was reported on the news, the people of Ninjago are frightened. Still, you cooperate, and I’ll help you.” The old man seemed genuinely regretful about the situation. Jay found himself doubting the man’s feelings. “Is it a deal?”

“Doesn’t look like I get a choice.”

Zane trotted up to the scene, freezing to the spot as he took in the sight of Wu. “Jay. You are alright.”

“Well, I wasn’t torn apart by skeletons. But I’m not sure about saying I’m _alright._ ” Jay held up the cuffs, even though Zane couldn’t have missed them.

“Zane.” Wu spoke the name with respect. There was clearly a bit of history. “Is my brother here?”

“No. It is only me. I was tasked with keeping Jay safe.” Zane lied quickly and efficiently. Or. Well. Jay supposed it wasn’t too much of a lie. He _had_ been tasked with keeping Jay safe. Just not by Garmadon, as Wu probably believed.

“Well, I’ll take it from here. I hope that won’t be an issue.”

“It is alright.” If Zane was worried, or startled, or _anything_ , he didn’t show it. It freaked Jay out. Was _everyone_ this good at hiding their feelings? “Jay, I will keep in touch.”

“O-okay.”

Wu led Jay to his car, giving swift orders to the people he’d brought with him. Drive here, check this, fix that. Everything Wu said was then executed to perfection.

The first thought Jay had about Wu’s car, was that it was considerably smaller than Garmadon’s limousine. Jay wasn’t the tallest person around, by any means, but his legs still felt awkwardly cramped in the backseat.

Wu sat on the driver’s seat. Jay fiddled with the handcuffs. “ I didn’t know people in private organizations could _make_ arrests.”

“We can, in special circumstances. And you, Jay, are nothing if not a special circumstance.” The old man gave a soft chuckle. “But you don’t need me to tell you that, do you?”

Jay shrugged.

“Why didn’t you come talk with me at the hospital? We could have avoided these unpleasantries. I know you’re not really a threat, Jay. I don’t think you meant to harm anyone.”

“Harm? What?”

“At the hospital. You caused a bit of damage. There was brief blackout. Luckily the back up generators kicked in quickly but . . . “ Wu shook his head. “There were some casualties. With a bit of control though, Jay, you could be _good_ for this city. You have more than enough potential.”

Jay leaned back against the seat. He didn’t really feel like he could be _good_ for anything. Not only that, but he was getting really tired of being told what to do. Who he should be. Of being a means to an end, a pawn in plans he didn’t understand.

“Wouldn’t you like to protect Ninjago, Jay?”

“The only thing I’d _really_ like is to lose the handcuffs.”

The moment they arrived at Ninjago’s police department, things became a blur. Pictures were taken, papers were signed, rooms were traversed. Through it all, Wu stuck by Jay’s side, trying to be a reassuring presence. But he didn’t make Jay feel any better. Not with his endless commentary, on how much potential Jay held beneath his skin.

When Jay was finally left behind in a holding cell, he felt almost relieved. It was cramped and uncomfortable and stinky, but it was quiet.

Jay sat back against the bed. It felt like nothing more than a slab of steel, even with the mattress. The cuffs were gone now, but they’d left a thin red line around his skin.

“Now what?”

That was the question, wasn’t it? Voicing it didn’t give Jay any ideas. He guessed the only thing he could really do now, was wait. Cole would probably show up sooner or later.

Doing nothing was agonizing. Jay paced the length of the small holding cell. He laid on the bed, quickly discovering there was no comfortable way to do this. He moved to the bars, leaning as far forward as he could. Trying to make out his surroundings

A door opened somewhere to Jay’s right. He couldn’t see anyone yet, but his mind flipped through a sea of names and faces. _Cole? Zane? Kai? Nya? Dareth? Garmadon? Wu?_

Snake?

Clancee. Jay remembered the name of the serpentine as he stepped closer. He wore an officer’s uniform, but Jay couldn’t see how it could have fooled anyone. With the fangs and the bright green scales, there was no chance for Clancee to blend in.

“I have a m-m-message for you.” Clancee spoke softly, his head shifting from one end of the hall to the other. He then searched through his uniform, which was too big for his small frame. The sleeves had been folded over more than once. “Here you go.”

The snake held out a small note. Jay didn’t take it. “From who?”

“Who else? Krux! He w-wanted me to tell you, you need to make a choice by the end of the day.” Clancee waved the note forward, urging Jay to take it. “C-come on. I don’t- I don’t have all day to just stand here.”

“Make a choice? How am I supposed to choose anything if I’m stuck in here?” Jay grabbed the note. He unfolded it carefully.

There wasn’t much to it. But even with seven words, it was enough to make Jay sick.

_Let’s make a trade. You, for Cole._


	10. Unshakeable Bond

**CHAPTER TEN- Unshakable Bond**

**AFTER**

Jay’s hands shook as he read the note again. And again.

The words never changed.

Could Krux really have Cole? Or was it an empty threat? A trap? Jay didn’t know. _Couldn’t_ know. Logic told him Cole should have been able to slip out of any prison that might try to hold him. He had his ghost tricks, and of course, the skills of his double life. But did logic mean anything anymore?

“I don’t-“ Jay looked up, but Clancee had gone. He was alone. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to answer this . . . “

Jay shoved the note into his pocket. He couldn’t stand looking at it for any longer.

He paced back and forth through the length of his cell. His mind whirred with thoughts. Not of them helpful, of course. When had they ever been?

_You for Cole._

“I need to get to him. Right?” Jay leaned against the bars. He ran his fingers over them, wondering if he could use lightning to burst them apart. “He’s done enough for me. Everyone’s done enough for me.”

Jay shut his eyes. After breaking out of the cell, then what? Burst through the walls of the precinct? Cause another blackout? Make a second wave of casualties?

Then there was the thought of strolling into _OverCorp._ It made Jay’s knees feel weak. He didn’t want anything to happen to Cole. He was sure that Cole’s well-being was infinitely more valuable than his own. But, to put it simply, Jay was terrified.

He didn’t want to die, didn’t want to go back to the weird glass cage, didn’t want his brain picked apart for hidden information. All Jay wanted was for everything to _stop._

The problem was, it wouldn’t stop, and it was never _going_ to stop. This was his new reality, this was the world of After, and there was nothing to do but to play by the rules.

_Me or Cole?_

With his eyes still shut, Jay didn’t notice the lights around him begin to flicker, until ultimately giving up completely. He didn’t notice the pair of shadows that rushed forward, their dark eyes silently taking in their surroundings.

“ _Jay._ ”

The sound of his name was barely above a whisper. Jay’s reaction was far too loud by comparison. His eyes snapped open. “Hello? What?”

The squeaky hinges of his cell door swung open. Jay took a step back, his yelp of surprise quickly muffled by a forceful hand against his mouth. “I’d like to get out of here without making a fuss, if you don’t mind.”

Jay’s racing heart momentarily shouted _Cole!_ Before realizing that the voice was nothing like his boyfriend’s. But it _was_ familiar. And so was the voice that spoke next.

“I leave you for five minutes, and you get yourself arrested.”

_Nya!_ Jay shouted the name into Kai’s hand. Jay shoved it aside. “Nya, what are you-“

“I hate having dragged her into this, so let’s just get this done, yeah?” Kai shoved him forward, out of the cell. “Zane. What’s the ETA on the power?”

Jay couldn’t hear Zane’s answer, as it came from the earpiece resting upon Kai’s ear. Whatever the words, Kai wasn’t too happy about them.

“Quick exit then. Stay _close_ , Nya.”

“I thought Jay was the priority here.” Nya rolled her eyes, taking Jay’s hand and pulling him along. They exited from the holding cells, and into the chaos that the precinct had become as officers scrambled to regain power. “So. Jay. How are you holding up since I last saw you?”

“Maybe I can answer that later?”

“Good point.”

Kai stopped, forcing Nya to slam into his back. He nodded at something (Zane’s words?) then looked back at them both. “Okay, kids. Time to hold your breath.”

“Kids?” Jay scoffed. Kai pressed his hand against his mouth again.

“ _Hold your breath._ ”

“ _Mmmk!”_

Kai moved his hand away, and Jay did his best to stop breathing. Around them, officers began to slump to the floor, none too gently. Jay flinched each time they crashed against the ground.

With the path now clear, Kai led them forward again. They burst out of the police department, and into the untainted air of Ninjago City. Jay took a deep, dramatic breath. ‘What- What was that? Are they okay?’

“It was only a sleeping gas, of course.” Zane spoke, trotting toward them. Jay noticed the van from before. “It is not something I am keen on using, but we had to get you out quickly.”

Nya jumped into the van, then tossed a blue zip up hoodie in Jay’s direction. “Here. You’ll need something to cover up your features. You’ve become quite the star. Everyone’s looking for you.”

Jay didn’t hesitate. He slipped into Nya’s gift, tossing up the hood to his auburn hair. He then followed his friend inside the van. “They’ve got Cole.”

“What?” Kai said, as he stepped into the van. The moment he shut the door, Zane sped off into Ninjago’s streets. “Who?”

“Krux.” Jay shoved the paper forward, so Kai could read it.

“No way. How?”

“Vengestone.” Zane said, matter-o-factly. “One of the skeletons had a pair of handcuffs made of the stuff. I had supposed they were for Jay but . . . they would work well on a ghost as well.”

“Ghost? Cole? What?” Nya shook her head. “Um. Can I get a recap? Isn’t Cole, you know, _dead?_ ”

It was a little comforting to see the wild confusion in Nya’s eyes, Jay thought. At least _someone_ had been just as in the dark as he’d been. “Cole’s alive. Sort of. The vice-president of _OverCorp_ wants my brain on a silver platter. Oh, and there’s a time machine involved.”

“Uh.” Nya shook her head again. She opened her mouth. Then shut it.

“If they’ve got Cole . . . we have to get him back.” Kai handed the note back to Jay, paying no mind to his sister’s questions. “But we can’t let Jay go anywhere near the place.”

“Of course.” Zane agreed. “We can stop at my house. He can hide there, until we get Cole back.”

“Okay. Yeah. Okay.” Kai nodded. “Nya, you can stay and keep an eye on him.”

“Seriously? I can _help_ , Kai. No offense, but every one of _your_ plans for getting Jay back sucked. If it wasn’t for me-“

“And me.” Zane added.

“-and Zane, you’d have wound up inside a holding cell, too.”

“Would not.” Kai huffed.

“Statistically speaking, you would-“

“Zane. Shut up. Just drive.”

“I’m going.” Nya said, determined to have the final say. “And you can’t stop me.”

“Whatever.”

Jay listened in silence. He looked down at the note in his hands. _You or Cole._ He had a terrible feeling that, if anyone other than him showed up, things wouldn’t be pretty. But he knew that trying to convince Kai or Zane to let him go, they wouldn’t listen.

So Jay kept quiet. He excused himself when they arrived at Zane’s place, a nice suburban home just on the edge of the city (Not what he’d expected) claiming that he needed to lay down. They let him go.

As Jay climbed up the stairs to the room Zane had directed him to, his mind was jumbled. Possibilities, emotions, fears, they all swirled around in his mind. Through it all, there was only one thing he was certain about.

_He_ had to be the one to get to Cole.

* * *

**BEFORE**

For a moment, time did not exist.

Cole would never be able to really explain to himself what had happened. Sometimes, he’d remember flashing through everything that had ever been, or ever _would_ be, part of his life. Other times, he only recalled a pressing darkness.

The only constant through each memory, was the feeling of Jay’s hand in his own. A tight grip.

Cole did not know how they had made it back out of the machine. He remembered Jay being taken away by a man with a weird eyepatch. He remembered his father yelling. He remembered a long conversation with a blonde-haired woman.

Years passed, and although Cole never _forgot_ , he slowly let his thoughts be occupied by other things. By the time of his Nineteenth birthday, Cole hardly thought about Jay at all.

Then, the accident.

Cole was not a reckless driver. But on that particular night, his mind had been full, and his foot upon the accelerator, heavy. They rain had only made things worse. Cole had not see the read light, had not seen the other cars, not until it was too late.

Death had come in the blink of an eye.

Despite the things Cole had said to Jay, the one that had pulled him back from death had _not_ been Garmadon.

The truth? Jay himself had kept Cole from dying. A connection had been forged as they’d both spun through the malfunctioning time machine. Cole’s life had been tied to Jay, and he had not been allowed to cross over. Just like his own grip years before, life would not let go.

Cole somehow managed to get used to his ghostly abilities. It was then that Garmadon approached him. Cole had accepted the job quickly, after seeing Jay’s file upon the man’s desk.

“You need to make sure he stays safe. Not only from those who would do him harm, but from himself, as well.” Garmadon’s words. Cole had listened intently. But he hadn’t known how painful the order would become.

In the time machine, Cole had pulled Jay back from the hands of time. He’d kept him safe. And now, life would hold him accountable for that choice.

The first time Jay had died, it had been jarring.

Not that any of the times that came after were any better. But that first night, at the concert, was one Cole would never be able to erase.

With his senses severely overstimulated, the snapping electricity within Jay’s body had tore him apart. Not only him, but most of the people inside the small venue too. Cole had seen it all unfold, kept safe from the blast by his instinct to shift his body into that of a ghost.

Cole couldn’t believe it. He’d failed. His very first day on the job, and he’d been too late.

Then, the clock began to rewind . . .

Everything flashed backward in the time it took Cole to process what was happening. Jay was, once again, unharmed. But Cole could tell everything was seconds away from unfolding again.

Shoving confusion aside, Cole rushed forward, cooing kind words into Jay’s ear and leading him outside, away from the danger he was putting himself in. And . . . things had changed. The shift had been an almost physical sensation, as Cole successfully pulled Jay away from a terrible end.

For two years, things had been good. Then, Krux had found them.

And no matter what Cole did, he couldn’t keep Jay alive.

Death, rewind, death, rewind. Cole tried everything, but nothing was enough. He was constantly flung further and further back in time. But even when Cole tried to teach Jay the skills he’d need to stay alive, it wouldn’t _work._

In the end, Cole realized that the only way out of the morbid time loop, was for Jay to learn to use his electric abilities. But with Cole holding his hand, Jay had never given so much as a spark.

So, Cole did the only thing he could think of.

He let go.

* * *

**AFTER**

Jay slid the window open.

The second floor of Zane’s house was a lot closer to the ground than Cole’s had been. But there was no easy way to climb down. The only path open to him, was to jump.

Well. Wouldn’t be the first time.

Jay leaned over the windowsill. After letting out a small breath, he let himself drop. He landed with a _thud_ that seemed to him the loudest sound ever made. He stayed crouching down over the grass, ignoring the burning feeling spreading around his ankles. There was no sign anyone had heard his escape.

He’d made it.

Part of him, was disappointed. Part of him wanted to be stopped. Yes, he wanted to save Cole. But he also wanted to be dragged back into the house, scolded, and safely tucked back into bed.

“Choice made, Jay.” He whispered to himself, pulling up his blue hood.

Getting to _OverCorp_ wasn’t difficult. The walk felt good. Movement helped clear and focus his mind. The clarity brought up a lot of questions he didn’t necessarily want the answer to. ( _Will Krux’s machine kill me? What will he do if he_ does _build a time machine? Is Cole still alright?_ ) But it did make his hands stop shaking. So, pros and cons. Pros and cons.

As he walked, Jay kept his gaze lowered. He was infamous, after all.

_OverCorp_ loomed into his path sooner than he would have liked. The sun hadn’t yet completely lowered. It through long, ominous shadows into Jay’s path.

_What am I supposed to do, once I’m inside?_ Jay wondered. _Just go up to the front desk and say, ‘Oh, hey, I’m here to trade for my dead boyfriend. Ha. Long story!’?_

As the automatic doors slid open, Jay realized there was no need to worry. He quickly spotted Clancee. He was fiddling with something in his hands, and leaning against one of the back walls of the building.

Jay approached. The thing in the serpetine’s fingers was a very unorganized Rubik’s cube. Jay wondered how long Clancee had been forced to wait.

“Y-you came!” The snake smiled as Jay got closer, looking far too nice for someone working under Krux. “I was- I was starting to get a little worried.”

“I’m here.” Jay said. “So, now what?”

“Ah, come- come with me.” Clancee waved him forward, still twisting the cube. He stopped before an elevator, calling it up with a special key. The doors opened, and they stepped inside.

Jay’s hands were beginning to shake again. He looked at the cube with longing. “You want help with that?”

“Oh?” Clancee looked up, instantly interested. “You c-c-can fix it?”

“Used to be one of my favorite things to fidge with.” Jay said, taking the cube as Clancee offered it. “It’s really not too difficult. I mean, there’s different things you need to do every time but . . . the basics are the same, you know?”

Clancee stared, wide eyed and admiring, as Jay spun the colors into place. Right before the elevator stopped, he’d finished. Clancee broke out into excited applause. “Wow! Th-that’s very impressive.”

“Thanks.” _Won’t help me save myself though._

The moment the elevator doors re-opened, Jay felt nauseous. The floor they’d stopped in, was filled with glass cages. Just like the one that had almost killed him before. And they weren’t empty.

As Clancee led him forward, Jay took in everything. More skeletons, more snakes, and even ghosts, further reaffirming Zane’s theory on vengestone.

At the end of everything, was a door. Clancee led him inside, and Jay recognized the office from before. Monitors lit the half-darkened room. Krux sat before them, frowning at the screen while clicking on the keyboard with unnecessary force.

Jay’s attention was pulled to the glass cage. His body sagged with relief. “ _Cole_.”

He seemed to be okay. Clearly upset at Jay’s presence, but _okay._

Krux turned in his chair, motioning for Clancee to lock the door. Jay could have cared less. He rushed forward, pressing his hands against the glass. “You’re okay!”

“Hardly.” Cole said, moving closer too. “What are you doing here, Jay?”

“Are you kidding? You really think I’d leave you?”

“No.” Cole admitted. “But I did hope.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Lovely reunion.” Krux mocked. Jay felt two strong sets of arms pull him back. He felt the slither of shifting scales against his skin. It was the dumb snake warriors again. “Too bad I’m in a bit of a hurry. I’m actually hoping for a reunion of my own.

“And now that Cole’s out of commission, well, there will be no more unexpected interruptions.” The door to the glass cage slid open. Jay was thrown inside, leaving him dazed as he landed on the floor. Cole rushed to his side.

The door shut again. Trapping them both.

“You- You said, you said you’d _trade._ Me for Cole, remember?” Jay protested, shoving Cole aside to stand. He banged his fist against the glass.

“Oh. Sure. That was a lie, of course. I can’t risk having him ruin everything again.” Krux shrugged. “Not sure how the extraction process will affect him. But I don’t really care.”

“No!” Jay banged his fists against the glass again. “You _said._ ”

His lightning. Where was his lightning? He could easily destroy the cage, the room, the _building._ But there was nothing inside him. Then he remembered. The _Vengestone_. “No!”

Krux was no longer paying him any mind. Instead, his eyes were glued to a machine, half hidden in the shadows of the room. A ring of metal, with a small control panel beside it. “Clancee. Begin.”

“B-b-but the other-“

“ _Clancee!_ ”

“Y-yes, Cap’n.”

This time, the pain wasn’t a slow build up. It his Jay full force, causing him to crumple. Somehow, he kept himself from screaming.

Cole’s arms caught him. He seemed to be unaffected. There was a frown on his features, but it was of worry, not pain. Good. Good.

“Dammit, Jay. Why did you come? I can’t- I can’t keep doing this.” Cole was shaking. _Really_ shaking. Jay wished he could say something heroic, or comforting, but the only thing that slid through his lips was a whimper. The room around Cole’s face began to darken.

More words were coming out of his boyfriend’s mouth, but Jay could no longer make them make sense. His brain felt frazzled, memories merging with the present as pain drove him away from consciousness. He’d seen that machine before. Hadn’t he?

Hadn’t he?

The question was the last coherent thought Jay was able to form, before his mind gave up completely, shoving him into a darkness that somehow seemed to spin.


	11. Hands of Time

**Chapter Eleven- Hands of Time**

Jay’s eyes shut.

Somewhere outside the glass cell, Krux was talking. Somewhere outside the little bubble Cole had formed around Jay’s body, things were unfolding. But Cole could have cared less. 

How many times had he lived this moment? Jay slipping away. Cole’s heart breaking even further, as a new weight of guilt was added. It all always managed to feel jarringly sudden. Cole shut his eyes. He waited for the world to rush back. He wondered where he’d end up this time around. 

And . . . nothing. 

Cole’s eyes snapped open. Everything was still the same. Nothing had changed. 

Except for the time machine. 

It was on. It was _back._

In a rush of sounds, Cole’s senses snapped back to the present. For a brief moment, everything was too much. Too loud. Too bright. 

Cole clutched Jay tighter, watching the green-ish light swirl within the machine. He felt a chill travel through him. Had fixing the machine somehow closed his time loop? Had he been forced back to normalcy, where mistakes were real, where he couldn’t go back, _ever,_ where Jay really was-

Under his grip, Jay shifted. Cole blinked away tears he had not known he’d been about to shed. Jay’s eyes were still shut. His expression was still stoic. But he was breathing! Had probably been breathing all along, but the movement was so subtle, so weak, it was almost impossible to tell.

“You’d better hold on, Jay.” Cole whispered the words with fierceness. The idea that the time machine being fixed could snap his connection with Jay . . . it burned at his every thought. He couldn’t lose him. Not forever. Not without losing himself, too.

“Is it working!? Why isn’t he back?” Cole looked up, watching as Krux shook Clancee’s arm.

“I-It’s working.” Clancee said, his stutter worsening as he stood against Krux’s glare. “I d-d-d-don’t don’t kn-know wh-why-“

“Wait.” Krux straightened, letting the snake’s arm drop. He took a step closer to the machine. Cole followed his gaze. 

There was a shape within the light now. It was small, but steadily growing nearer.

The person who stepped out of the machine was familiar. Yet . . . not. Something about the features tugged at Cole, but he couldn’t place them. Not until Krux moved closer. And Cole realized that Krux and the stranger . . . looked the same.

With the exception that the stranger was much, _much_ younger.

“Krux?” The stranger asked, with a swift laugh. “Well. You’re looking different.”

“It’s been a _long_ time, Acronix. You’re welcome, by the way. If it weren’t for me, you’d still be trapped in time.” The two shook hands. When they did so, the movement was rough, almost seeming to be a competition. 

“Is _that_ where I was? Funny. I can’t remember much.” Acronix side stepped his brother, eyes running through the office in slow movements. Eventually, the found Cole’s own. Cole stared right back.

_The final member of the group,_ Cole thought to himself. _No wonder we couldn’t find him. I guess, for a moment, he technically didn’t exist._

Acronix didn’t stare for long. He turned away, his interest pulled to the glowing screens. “Wow. Are these . . . security cameras?”

The missing twin tapped against one of the screens, chuckling with delight. “They look so _good._ They might as well be windows!”

“That’s what you choose to focus on? Never mind the time machine. The _working_ time machine I’ve spent a lifetime rebuilding. You go for _cameras._ ” Krux massaged his temples. “You’re more infuriating than I remember.”

“The time machine is great, sure. But how do we know it won’t malfunction again?”

“Because. Gordon finished her research.”

“Right. And she just handed it to you? Because we ended in such good terms?”

“In a way.” Krux shrugged. “You’ve been gone for a long time, Acronix. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do. But not here.”

With these words, Krux gave Cole an untrusting glance. Cole scoffed. 

“I’ll go wherever, as long as there’s food. I’m starving.”

“Yes, yes.” Krux rolled his eyes, then pulled his brother out of the room. The door shut behind them, taking away the sounds of their bickering. 

Cole had to think. He had to find a way to wake Jay up. Had to figure out what Krux was planning. Had to get _out._

But how?

A soft shuffling sound made Cole’s head snap back to the opposite end of the room. Near the time machine. Clancee. He stood before it, shaking hands fidgeting with something Cole couldn’t see. The vermillion warriors, a weapon of Krux’s Cole was all too familiar with, were there too. At least they didn’t seem to be aggressive without orders to follow.

_Work with what you have. And work quickly._

“Why are you helping Krux?”

At the sound of Cole’s voice, Clancee jumped. _Really_ jumped. The nervous energy making the serpentine’s hand shake reminded Cole of Jay. Which in turn made him warm up to the snake almost instantly.

“He, K-krux, He keeps me safe, he does.” Clancee said, but didn’t seem too sure. “He, he’s not so bad. A b-bit lonely and a-angry but not so bad.”

“I find that a little hard to believe.” Cole said. “Since he’s keeping me locked up in here and all.”

“Aye . . . w-well, you was causing trouble, you k-know.” Clancee looked just about ready to bolt. But he didn’t. Cole set Jay down gently, moving closer to the glass walls.

“You don’t seem like a bad guy, you know.” Cole tried to sound as kind as possible. 

Clancee’s eyes widened. He then shrugged. “ I really sh-should not be talking with you.”

“I know.” Cole said. “But you’re doing it anyway. Maybe you’re not as into following orders as you think, hm?”

Clancee was quiet.

“Look. I really- . . . I really don’t want anything to happen to Jay. He hasn’t done anything wrong. He doesn’t deserve any of this. I think I – I think I might have an idea of someone who can help. But I can’t reach them from here. Please. Please help me out.”

The serpentine didn’t respond. Cole stayed quiet, too. Either his words would work, or they wouldn’t. 

Clancee began muttering softly, scurrying across the room. For a second, Cole thought he’d simply leave. But then the serpentine stopped before one of the keyboards, typing out a quick sequence of commands while still messing with whatever was in his hand.

With a soft hiss, the door to the cell slid open. Cole moved back, quickly picking Jay up from the ground. He was limp ad he was heavy, but his chest still rose and fell. When Cole stepped out of the room, Clancee stepped forward. Cole was finally able to make out the thing in his hand. A Rubik’s cube.

“Y-you’d better hurry.” Clancee said, looking toward the door. 

“And you?” Cole asked. “Krux won’t be happy.”

“Nothing I’m not used to.” Clancee shrugged. “M-maybe I could help distract him, too. I’m not sure about his plans, but they c-can’t be good for the ci-city.”

“Yeah. I don’t think he’s planning to throw a parade.” Cole’s fingers flew over the machine’s control panel. To a date he’d never forgotten.

The machine rumbled to life. The light spun, bright and hypnotic. With one last glance at the small serpentine, Cole delivered himself back into the hands of time.

To the only person who might know what to do.

Dr. Gordon.

* * *

**BEFORE**

Falling in love hadn’t been part of the plan.

Then again, was it ever?

There was something just so . . . so _genuine_ about Jay. He was loud. He was obnoxious. And yes, maybe he was a _little_ selfish. But the thing about Jay was . . . he was always himself. 

Cole had thrived on it.

In his own life, there had always been rules on how to act. With his father, there was etiquette. Keep quiet about this. Make up opinions about _that._ Mingle, mingle, mingle!

Then, once Cole started his job with Garmadon, secrecy was _literally_ in the job description. It was as if the world had decided that Cole could not be allowed to be himself. Whoever _that_ was.

When he was with Jay though, Cole could forget it all. Jay’s feelings were so vast, that Cole could drown in them, could, for a moment, be nothing more than just a boy. A boy with a very, very big crush.

He clung to his drink now, as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded. Which, it probably was. His other hand, devoid of any objects, shook terribly. Jay sat before him, his own drink upon the cloth they’d spread out over the grass

It was an unusually nice day in Ninjago City. A perfect day for a picnic.

“You’ve been the best guide. I really owe you.” Jay said, not realizing how painful the yearning in Cole’s chest was, every time he smiled as he was doing now. “Thank you. You really _are_ a knight in shining armor.”

“Not sure about ‘shining’.” Cole joked, looking down at his outfit. Black on black. “A knight, though? Maybe. Depends on who you ask.”

“Well, if you’re asking _me,_ then yes.” Jay laid back, to look up at the passing clouds. Cole’s heart lurched.

“I’m glad you’re enjoying the city.” Cole said. “Would have been a shame to lose a friend if you decided to move back with your parents.”

“Oh, no way. I mean. The city is scary, don’t get me wrong. But there’s something intoxicatingly amazing about independence.” Jay chuckled. “You know, the kind of independence where no one can stop me from making myself sick on gummy bears.”

_Well. There’s something intoxicatingly amazing about_ you, Cole thought, but did not say. “I’m not sure that’s a good use of independence. But I’m glad I get to keep you all the same.”

Jay smiled again. “Keep me, huh?”

“You know. Like, here. In the- In the here. City. Here in the city.” Cole tried to laugh. The sound was pitiful.

“I’m teasing!” Jay chuckled, propping himself up on his elbows. Cole refused to make eye contact. “For what it’s worth . . . I wanted to keep you, too.”

Cole’s eyes widened as he gave into Jay’s gaze. The smile was still there. And it was a bit . . . expectant? 

“Really?”

“Really.” Jay was sitting up now. They were close enough for Cole to count Jay’s freckles. Like stars in the night sky.

“Jay.”

“Yeah?”

“I think . . .” Cole’s mind was spinning. His mouth worked on its own, impulsively rushing forward. “I think I really like you.”

“I think I really like you too.”

“How do you feel about-“ Cole shrugged. “How do you feel about a date? A _date_ date. With- With romance and such. There’s a really great restaurant downtown I still haven’t shown you.”

“Hmm. Do I get to see you all dressed up?”

“Maybe.”

“Very tempting. It’s a deal.” Jay leaned closer. At least, Cole _thought_ he leaned closer. He really, really hoped he wasn’t wrong.

“Good,” Cole said, or maybe he only thought it, he couldn’t keep up anymore. He’d leaned closer too. And then, in a shower of small sparks that might or might not have been real, his lips connected with Jay’s own.

* * *

**AFTER**

Stepping into the machine brought back a lot of memories.

Just like before, Cole clung tighty onto Jay. Pressed this close, Cole could feel Jay’s shallow, weak breaths growing even weaker. But he was still there. Still holding on.

Unlike the last time Cale had stepped (Fallen?) through time, the machine now had a purpose. The spiraling lights didn’t toss him and Jay around like a tightly wound yo-yo, but instead guided them steadily to a specific point in time.

In the distance, a lab began to take shape at the other end of the machine. And- it wasn’t empty. Cole tried to stop, but the pull of the machine was stronger than he was. For a moment, he was afraid he’d ruined everything. Who was on the other side? Their younger selves? Krux? Acronix? 

If someone saw them exiting the machine, what would they do?

As the features of the person came into view, Cole relaxed. It was Dr. Gordon. She was bent over her work. Then, the machine on her end must have begun to whirr to life. She dropped her pen, watching things unfold with wide eyes. When Cole stepped into the lab, She stumbled back.

“Whoa?” She gaped, teetering on her feet. Unsure of whether to run _toward_ Cole, or away. In the end, her curiosity triumphed. “ _Whoa._ It- It works? I just- Where are you . . . _Who_ are. . . _Hi._ ”

“Hi.” Said Cole. “I’m-“

“Terrifying! Did my time machine mess up the future? Are you the time police?” She looked far too excited about either option. Then, her eyes moved to Jay’s unconscious body. “Or . . . do you need help with _him?_ And I’m the only person in time who could help? I can’t believe you’d travel all this way to _me_ , specifically.”

“You’re the only person I could think of, yes. He’s-“

“Is his brain splitting through realities? Time? Can he see the future? Did he see something so terrible that-“

“ _He’s your son._ ” Cole cut in quickly. Very quickly. He knew exactly how to shut down aimless rambling.

Dr. Gordon’s words came to a screeching halt. She stared at Jay with wide eyes. A bit of recognition sparked in her blue eyes. “ . . . _Jay._ ”

“Yes. Jay. You hid some research inside his brain. And- and well, someone found it. And he passed out. And now he won’t wake up. I don’t know if he’s dying. I don’t want him to be dying.”

“Hid . . . in his _brain?_ That’s- that’s really interesting.” Dr. Gordon pushed Jay’s hair back, looking at her son in awe. Cole didn’t know what had triggered the expression. Jay himself, or the idea of what she’d done to his brain?

“Not interesting. It’s bad.” Cole replied through gritted teeth. “Is there . . . anything you can do? I couldn’t think of anyone else. And I don’t want to lose him.”

“Why’d you have to come back in time for me, though? Why not ask my future self? I’m sure she’s _way_ more capable than me. At least I hope she is. Actually, you know what, don’t answer me. Whatever the reason, it’s a bad reason, and it’s all over your face.” 

Dr. Gordon began to pace. “I’m not too much of an expert on neurology. But . . . you did say _I_ did this in the first place, so . . . oh! I know! Cyrus! Yes! He’s been working on some weird, virtual reality thing. Hooks right into your brain. Could definitely be repurposed. Yes!

“Follow me! We’ll fix this.” Dr. Gordon hopped a little in place. Cole felt a rush of anger. This was her _son._ She could at least try to look a _little_ worried.

They both rushed out of the lab. Cole saw the sun only just beginning to rise. He could almost see his younger self, waking up early as usual, working on brewing up his own breakfast for the day. 

Dr. Gordon’s heels clicked loudly against the floor. Even with them on, she was still really, really small. A trait she’d clearly passed onto Jay.

One elevator ride later, Dr. Gordon stopped before a different office. Cole had been in it, once. In his search for the elusive truth that had surrounded Jay’s life. He hadn’t found anything useful. Cyrus Borg did not have anything to do with Jay’s misfortunes.

At the opposite end of the office, was another door. This one opened into a lab. It was packed with all sorts of gadgets. Some were half built; some were seemingly functional. Others were nothing more than parts and blueprints. 

“He won’t mind if I use his stuff. It’s an emergency! Plus he uses _my_ tools _all_ the time. Annoying, really.” Dr. Gordon bit her lip. For a second, her eyes flashed with actual worry. She pointed forward to a set of chairs. “You can just- . . . set him down there. I’ll boot this thing up.”

“What’s it going to do?” Cole was hesitant. But did he have much of a choice? The machine looked ominous, but it couldn’t be worse than having Jay slip away. At least he hoped.

“It’s going to let me see inside his head. So I can find the problem . . .” Dr. Gordon began to click away at a small computer. Cole set Jay down, and an odd helmet automatically lowered itself around Jay’s head. “So. How _is_ Jay? You know, like as a person.”

“He’s . . . good. Way too talkative. But kind. And funny. Or at least he thinks he’s funny.” Cole’s eyes softened. He tried to keep himself from spewing out too much. He knew that if he _really_ got started on the things he loved about Jay, he’d never stop.

“Wish I’d get to meet him. But I’m guessing I probably don’t. There _is_ no future me, is there? Ugh. She would have been amazing, too. But I guess I do have a knack for angering all the wrong people.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Eh. Let’s just focus on Jay.”

Cole gave a small nod. That, he could definitely do. 

Seconds ticked. Had they always been this slow? Cole didn’t think so. Every so often, Dr. Gordon would start to talk, but every time he voice would turn into soft unintelligible grumbles until she was quiet all over again. Cole hated it. He hated feeling so helpless. If their roles had been reversed, Jay would have probably been far, far more useful.

“Hmm.” Dr. Gordon growled under her breath. Cole leaned closer. But of course, the lines and the messages on her screen meant nothing. “There’s . . . nothing wrong with him. Not _technically._ I don’t get it. He’s just . . . stuck.”

“Stuck?”

“Stuck.” More typing. More frowning. Less answers. “I can’t do anything from here. Not without help.”

“I can try to help.”

Dr. Gordon looked up. “Yes. Maybe. Hmm. How _do_ you feel about going inside Jay’s mind?”


	12. Webs of Memory

**Chapter 12- Webs of Memory**

**BEFORE & AFTER**

“All you need to do, is find Jay’s consciousness and tell it to shape up and wake up.” Dr. Gordon smiled down at Cole. A helmet lowered around his head, blocking half of his vision. “Easy peasy, right?”

“Right.” Cole said, although he wasn’t too sure. “Any . . . Advice?”

“Um. Be quick?” Dr. Gordon stepped back to the small computer. “I’ve never personally gone inside anyone’s mind, so . . . not sure what to tell you. You know?”

“Right . . .”

“Ready?”

“I think so.”

“Good.”

Cole shut his eyes. He expected to hear more instructions from Dr. Gordon. But her voice didn’t come again. Instead, there was only the rhythmic _click, click, click_ of the keyboard. Or . . . was it? The sound was getting louder. It was changing too. Morphing, until it sounded just like . . .

. . . Footsteps.

Cole opened his eyes with a jolt. He quickly realized that the footsteps were his own. His feet moved forward of their own accord, guiding him down a long hall. He was unable to see the end of it.

The hall itself was split perfectly in half. On Cole’s left, everything was brightly colored, in a manner that was almost painful. On the other side, things were only in different shades of grey. 

Pictures hung on both sides of the hall. Moving pictures, with soft unintelligible voices. 

Cole forced his feet to stop moving, turning to look behind him. There seemed to be no end to the hall in that direction, either. It continued further than what his eyes could see. 

“Forward it is then, I guess.” Cole said. “Unless there are any other suggestions?”

Cole directed the question at the moving pictures, which he now realized were probably memories. They, of course, did not respond. And this, of course, did not stop Cole from talking.

“Yeah. I didn’t think so.” Cole half-sighed. “Could my life get _any_ weirder? Jay, you really are one of a kind. Meeting you should have come with a warning label. Not that I regret anything. Of course I don’t regret anything.”

Bit by bit, Cole’s steps slowed. The brightly colored memories purred softly in his ear, tempting him to stop. _Don’t you remember, Before? Don’t you remember, how good things were?_

Cole began to recognize some of the memories he passed by. His first official date with Jay. The late night talks on the phone. The early mornings in the kitchen. Small things, big things, things Cole had forgotten but now remembered with a lurch of warmth.

_Before, you were happy._

_Before, things were_ good.

There was one memory in particular that called to him. Jay had once told him he’d never gotten a chance to go to a school dance. Cole had taken it upon himself to recreate that experience. He spruced up his backyard. He’d fixed the lighting. He’d played some music.

He’d asked Jay to dance. 

“ _I’m not exact good at dancing, you know._ ” Cole could hear Jay’s voice, from within the memory. He stopped walking. “ _Your feet_ will _look like roadkill after this._ ”

“ _Don’t worry. I’m a good teacher._ ” Cole found himself mouthing his own words along with his past self. He reached out, fingers stroking the image.

“ _Guess I’ll wait and see._ ”

Cole’s fingers sunk into the memory. Then, his hand. Something was pulling him inside. The movement was steady, and Cole found that he was not strong enough to fight against it. His body tipped forward. He could not pull back. He could not do anything.

He fell.

The sensation made him sick. He _knew_ he wasn’t really falling. Knew that everything was only inside his own, or well Jay’s, mind. But it didn’t make the feeling any less terrifying.

The bright colors of the memory fell right past him. They were replaced by a swirl of grays, which somehow shaped themselves into an image Cole could follow as he continued to rush down.

“ _Guess I’ll wait and see._ ” Jay’s same words from before. Except this time, he spoke through gritted teeth. “ _But I don’t know, Nya. I don’t- I don’t really feel like following up on the stupid internship._ ”

“ _Jay . . . I’m not going to try and say I get what you’re going through. But you can’t- you can’t throw away_ everything. _Cole wouldn’t want-“_

“ _No. No, no, no._ _You don’t know what Cole would want. Neither of us do. We’ll never ever know what he’d want, because he’s_ gone. _Forever. Forever . . ._ ”

Cole’s body came to a sudden stop. He yelped, as whatever he’d landed on sunk under his weight. It felt like a net. But it _hurt._ The palms of his hands instinctively tightened around one of the ropes as he tried to sit up. The material clawed at his skin.

He found that it was impossible to stand, but managed to sit up instead. Cole could now see that what he’d landed on resembled a web more than a net. Each and every strand was shaped out of snapping electricity. It all circled downwards, toward a source he could not yet see.

Spread throughout the web, were more memories. Both bright and grey, they shivered in place, displaying bits of Jay’s life. Every so often, a whip of lighting would snap against one, and it would shatter. The pieces would then crumble down into the empty void beneath the web.

“Not a fan of the decoration, if I’m honest.” Cole said, moving forward slowly. He did not want to fall again.

He wasn’t all that sure there would be anything else to catch him next time.

* * *

Dr. Gordon _needed_ to admit that she wasn’t necessarily the best at thinking about consequences.

Let’s give a toddler superpowers! Let’s make a time machine! All of her ideas sounded _wonderful, innovating, world changing_ in her mind. In reality, though? She was beginning to have a few doubts.

Good intentions or not, the two people before her were suffering from very real consequences from her very real actions.

She bit her lip, pushing back her stool to plop back down onto the floor. She stepped closer to Jay, studying his sleeping features with wide, curious eyes. She refrained from touching him, but her fingers twitched at her sides.

He didn’t resemble the small child she was used to seeing. Not much, anyway. He was . . . he was someone else. Someone who’d grown without her. Someone she’d never get to know. 

“I’m . . . sorry, Jay. I’m- I’m honestly very far from being a good mother. Impulsive. Reckless. Selfish? Probably a little. Or a lot.” Dr. Gordon chuckled softly. “I bet you’re a great person to hang out with, though. . . Is that weird to say? I mean. It’s not like you can hear me, anyway.”

Dr. Gordon shook her head, stepping away from Jay. Her heels clicked against the floor.

She froze.

The time machine. Had she locked the lab? She’d been in such a hurry . . . Wu had made her _swear_ she’d be careful. Krux and Acronix had both begun to act awfully shifty. Even Garmadon had slyly suggested they be kept out of the loop.

She leaned over to peek at the computer. Cole and Jay both seemed to be doing okay. Or as okay as they could be. Dr. Gordon reached for her keys, fidgeting with them as she rushed out of the lab.

“Tick, tock, tick, tock.” She mumbled to herself. “If it turns out it’s _your_ fault everything fell apart . . .”

* * *

Just as Cole had begun to suspect, Jay was at the center of everything. 

He could see him now, hovering above the black void beneath the web, supplying each and every strand that formed it. 

Jay’s eyes were wide open, but they did not _see._ They were made out of pure blue light. Electricity crackled around him. Every so often, the energy would build up enough to snap, which only resulted in more broken memories.

“Jay,” Cole began to move faster, whispering Jay’s name because he needed to.

Part of him warned him to slow down, warned that Jay’s abilities could hurt him just as badly here as they could on the outside of his mind. But Cole didn’t slow. He _couldn’t_ slow. He was on a ticking clock and he knew it. If Jay destroyed everything that made him _him_ . . . Cole didn’t want to think about it.

Closer now. Closer still. Close enough to feel the pressure of Jay’s energy.

A memory rushed past him.

“ _I’m going to go to Ninjago City. And I’m going to make my_ own _company! Jay Inc. Where the future is always!_ ” Jay’s voice sounded far, far younger. 

“ _If you say so, junkyard boy._ ” Cole didn’t recognize this voice. Childlike laughter followed.

“ _I do say so! Just you wait._ ”

_Crack!_ The memory shattered before it could continue. Cole flinched.

He was teetering dangerously close to the void around Jay’s body now. Each move threatened to tip him over. But he was so close! If he could just, just _reach_ Jay then . . .

He didn’t have much of a choice. He was going to have to jump.

It was the easiest leap Cole had ever taken. He pulled Jay into a tight embrace as he reached him, easily ignoring the pain from the bits of lightning that still circled his body. 

Maybe he was too late. Maybe Jay had done too much damage. But at least Cole had gotten to him. At least Cole could hold him. And he wasn’t going to let go.

Cole had readied himself for another long fall, but the sensation never came. Instead, their surroundings shifted, and he realized he was once again standing upon something firm.

They were in Ninjago city’s park. A warm breeze rustled through the trees. If Cole hadn’t been so aware of where he really was, he would have believed everything was real. Shouts and vague laughter surrounded them both, giving everything a comfortable atmosphere. 

“Cole?”

Cole let go of Jay, stepping back to take all of him in. He looked normal again. His eyes were the right shade of blue. Cole pulled him back into a hug. “Jay. You’re- I’m- . . . You’re here. I’m here.”

“. . . Yes.” Jay answered. He did not return the gesture. Instead, he took hold of Cole’s arms, gently pushing him back. “Where _is_ here? Are we . . . dead? I sort of feel like we’re dead. We- . . . Krux! And the machine! He- oh _no._ I got us killed, didn’t I?”

For a second, Jay’s eyes flashed back to the dangerous blue. Cole took his hands. “No. No, Jay. I’m okay. And you’re okay too! You just- You need to wake up. Then we’ll fix everything. Together, you know?”

“Wake up?” Jay shook his head. 

“ _Yes._ ”

“I’m- . . .” Jay ran his hands through his hair. “I’m forgetting things. A lot of things. But . . . But I’m remembering things too. You- You _knew_ me. Didn’t you? Before! When we were kids!”

“Yes. But that’s not-“

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Jay pulled his hands away from Cole. “What else haven’t you told me? I thought we’d agreed. No more secrets.”

“I wasn’t hiding it!” Cole grimaced. “But now’s not the time to-“

“No. Cole, _no._ Stop pushing things away. Stop pushing _me_ away. Do you think that makes me want to- to wake up? Because I’ll be honest, this right here? Looks peaceful enough to spend forever in. Don’t you think? At least here I won’t get lied to.” Jay shrugged. “At least here there’s no stupid After. Where nothing makes sense and everything’s a lie.”

“After?”

“You know. After you ‘died’. After my powers. After the world decide stopped making sense.” Jay laughed as he spoke, but Cole recognized the sound. It was a little desperate, used only when Jay could not think of a joke to settle his mind with. 

“But I’m here now, Jay. We can figure out the new world together. Can’t we?” Cole really wanted to reach out again. But bits of electricity were beginning to circle around Jay’s body again, warning him away. He did not want to be held. Not now, anyway. 

“I don’t know. Part of me is still scared to trust you. I love you more than anything. I do. But things feel . . . different. And I don’t know if I can just live with the fact that they’re never going to go back to what they were. I want to go back to Before. To laughing until we made ourselves cry. To having our worst worries be about missing an episode of our favorite show.”

Jay seemed to be close to tears. He refuse to hold Cole’s gaze, locking eyes with the distance instead. The breeze around them became a rush of wind. 

“Jay . . . of course things are different. Things always change. I mean, granted, they changed a _lot_. And some parts are my fault. But we can still figure them out. If we have each other. You know?

“I’m _here._ I’m here _now,_ Jay. And I need you. I need you _now._ Forget about Before. Forget about After.” The rushing air whipped Cole’s hair around him. “Please. I can’t do it alone. I can’t do it without you. You’ve always been at the center of everything I’ve done.”

Jay scoffed, but it was a soft sound. “Very flattering. But it doesn’t change the fact that things feel . . . they feel wrong. And I don’t know how I can go back to making them feel right.”

“Using time and good friends seems like a good start.” Cole said. His voice shook. He hated seeing the hurt within Jay’s eyes. Pain was the last thing he’d wanted to cause. And, somehow, it seemed to be the _only_ thing he was good at causing.

“I guess it’s as good advice as any” Jay said. His eyes finally sought out Cole’s again. Jay wiped the bits of tears away with the back of his hand. “And you . . . you won’t leave again?”

“I won’t leave again.” Cole reached out his hand. “I promise.”

“Okay . . .” Jay said. He stared at Cole for a few seconds longer, before finally taking his hand. Their fingers intertwined with one another. “Okay.”

“I love you, Jay. I loved you Before and I love you _Now._ ” Cole’s voice was soft. He pulled Jay into a hug, slowly this time, giving Jay plenty of time to pull away. “I love you always.”

Jay didn’t. Slowly, his arms returned the embrace. The movement was weak at first Hesitant. But with a soft chuckle and a deep sigh, his arms tightened. “I love you too, Cole. Now and always.”


	13. Here for You, Here for Me

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN- Here For You, Here For Me**

**NOW**

Jay woke with a jolt, his forehead slamming against a heavy surface.

Dazed, Jay leaned back again with a soft groan. When the world came into proper focus, he realized he was sitting beneath an odd metal helmet. He pushed up against it.

It slid up without a fight. Beside him, Jay saw Cole doing the same. “Welcome back, Jay.”

“Thanks.” Jay said, standing. His eyes took in the room. They were inside a lab, that much was obvious. But there was something . . . _off_ about it. He couldn’t put his finger on it at first. Then, his eyes settled on a computer. It was small, but thickly built. Jay had seen models like it before. He knew it _should_ have looked old. But it did not.

Similar oddities began to pop in Jay’s vision. Jay spun in a small circle, his mouth wide open. “Are we- did we _time travel?_ ”

Cole ran his fingers over his hair, readjusting the heavy swoop. “Um. Yes. I . . . might’ve panicked. I couldn’t think of what to do. I couldn’t think of anything to run to. Other than . . . your mom.”

“My _mom?_ ” Edna Walker flashed in Jay’s mind. He didn’t think that was who Cole meant, though. “Like, the mom I don’t _know_ mom?”

“Birth mom, yes.”

“Where . . . is she?” Jay glanced around the room again, half expecting Dr. Gordon to pop out behind one of the shelves. “Is she here?”

“She _was_.”

“Huh. Maybe she went to the bathroom?”

Cole shook his head. “Let’s just get back to the time machine. Krux and Acronix were planning something before I left. Not just that, but the others will be worried. I’m assuming you _didn’t_ tell them you were going to go ahead and trade yourself in for me?”

“How _dare_ you assume anything,” Jay pretened to be offended with a loud gasp of disbelief. “ We totally shook on it. They sent me on my way because they have _faith_ in my abilities. Unlike some people.”

Cole said nothing. He didn’t need to. He simply raised an eyebrow in questioning disbelief.

“Okay, I might have hopped out of the window! But is now really the time to judge?” Jay gave a dismissive shrug. “Besides. I just went through a very traumatic experience. So, you need to love and pamper me.”

Cole gave a soft laugh. “Sure thing, freckles.”

At the sound of the old nickname, Jay’s heart gave a little hop. “I’ll never get tired of hearing that.”

“I’ll never get tired of saying it.” Cole replied. He then reached out to take Jay’s hand. His grip was shaky. “ I need to tell you something. The . . . The real reason I pretended to be dead. It _was_ stupid but- but it was the only thing I could do.”

“Oh?”

Cole sighed. Then, he opened his mouth again. The explanation that fell from his lips made Jay feel sick. He had the strongest urge to wrap Cole up into a hug, and never let him go.

The weird, powerful connection between them. The reason he was stuck between being dead and alive. The twisted time loop that forced Cole to witness more than one of Jay’s untimely endings. 

“I know it’s a lot,” Cole said quickly, as soon as he had finished explaining. “But it’s alright. You’ve got a good handle on your abilities now. You’ve been through a lot, and you’re still kicking. So it’s fine, you know? I just . . . had to say it.”

“Yeah,” Jay said. “I’m sorry. It sounds . . . not nice.”

“No worries,” Cole smiled. “Let’s get back home, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Together, they stepped out of the lab. Jay let Cole lead, wishing he could come up with something good to say. Problem was, his own mind was still reeling with the new information. He couldn’t even begin to imagine what Cole had been through. Jay held his hand a little tighter.

One elevator trip later, they reached a floor that Jay felt to be faintly familiar. He had met Cole here, hadn’t he? The first time? The rush of memory forced a shaky sigh out of Jay’s body. If he explored the halls, would he end up encountering his younger self?

“ _Neither_ of you are going anywhere.”

A deep voice boomed down the hall as they walked forward. Jay and Cole exchanged wide eyed glances.

“Yeah! What he said!” This voice was just as loud, although considerably higher pitched. A different sound echoed then. It sounded like something tipping over, contents clattering against the floor.

“Well. Guess we know where your mom went.” Cole said, as they both started running down the hall. “Was it just me though, or was that other voice Garmadon?”

“Did sound familiar.” Jay agreed, although he had not heard enough of Garmadon’s voice to be able to pinpoint it. 

They came to a stop in fron of the lab. Jay clung onto Cole’s arm to prevent himself from toppling forward.

The room was a mess. The time machine was up and running, swirls of light throwing shadows all around. Desks had been tossed to the side, along with the sets of chemicals, tools, and notes they had once held. Garmadon and Dr. Gordon stood side by side, blocking the machine from the two people in front of it.

“Krux,” Jay hissed the name out, recognizing the man even as his younger self.

“Acronix.” Cole said, half in disbelief, wondering if they were about to witness the moment that had started it all.

The twins turned back to glance at the newcomers. Jay noticed they each had one gauntlet strapped to their arm. Upon each were two dangerously sharpened blades.

With the twins momentarily distracted, Garmadon took his chance. He leapt forward, tackling Krux to the ground. With only Dr. Gordon to block the machine, Acronix rushed forward. 

Dr. Gordon met him halfway, using momentum to make her smaller body just as powerful as her opponent’s. She pushed back against Acronix. For a moment, she succeeded in keeping him in place. But soon, she began to skid back, as Acronix moved forward.

“You help her. I’ll help Garmadon.” Cole nodded for Jay to move forward.

Jay obeyed. He launched his body against Acronix, careful to avoid the sharp blade strapped to his arm. Acronix growled, tripping ack over the bits of paper on the floor.

“Who are _you_ supposed to be?” The dark-haired twin said, eyeing Jay wearily. “Whoever you are, I can assure you that they don’t pay you enough to keep me away from that machine.”

Acronix leapt back to his feet, his gauntlet free hand half hidden behind him as he slashed with his other hand. Jay flinched back, forming a shield of electricity to keep his face from being cut. The wave of power clung to Acronix’s blade, rushing back through the metal and into his body. The man fell back again. Despite the pain (and the fact that he was further from the machine than before) Acronix looked . . . in awe.

“You’re . . .”

“He’s my son, that’s who he is. So you better high tail it out of the building, before we both kick your sorry butt.” Dr. Gordon said, side stepping in front of Jay. With her in front, Jay risked a glance to the other side of the room. Garmadon had Krux’s arms pulled back behind him, keeping him locked in place. Cole stood close by, clutching his arm. His shirt was sticky with blood.

“So, you’re from the future.” Acronix smiled, eyes shining with pure eagerness. “What’s it like?”

“None of your business, that’s what its like.” Dr. Gordon replied. “Give it up, Acronix. You’re not going anywhere. And neither is your feisty little twin.”

Acronix was completely unfazed by Dr. Gordon’s aggressive tone. He turned to look at her, his smile widening further. “Congratulations, _partner._ Looks like your DNA experiment paid off. Lucky thing you were so liberal with your research. A guy could learn a thing or two.”

“We trusted you.” Dr. Gordon said. She glared first at Acronix, then at Krux.

“That’s your mistake.” Acronix said. Then, he threw the hand that had been half hidden behind him forward. Jay saw the moment flash in slow motion. 

Three colorful flasks left Acronix’s outstretched fingers. Jay’s own hand shot forward, to pull Dr. Gordon back. Liquid spilled from the flasks as they shattered, instantly turning into wisps of colorful smoke.

Dr. Gordon waved her arms and coughed violently, her eyes shutting themselves tight. Jay held his breath as he continued to pull her back. Garmadon shouted something Jay’s mind couldn’t quite make out. He felt Cole’s hand on his arm.

“Are you okay?” Cole asked, as the puffs of smoke began to clear.

Jay nodded. “I’m-“

“Keep an eye out for the other side then, Krux.” Acronix stood in front of the machine now, his back facing the swirling vortex. “Stay turned, hmm?”

Krux smirked. With a dramatic bow, Acronix stepped backward into the machine. Dr. Gordon leapt forward. “No!”

Eyes wild, she turned to face Jay. “Your powers! You need to destroy the machine. I don’t- I don’t know what they’re planning to do, but if we get rid of it, if we get rid of it fast enough- . . . Maybe we can stop him.”

Cole’s grip on Jay’s arm tightened enough to make Jay flinch. “No. He can’t destroy it. How would we get home?”

“The remote.” Garmadon spoke up, still clutching Krux in place. “Couldn’t that take them back home?”

“Yes!” Dr. Gordon nodded. “It should be in Wu’s office. See, when we built the machine, we figured there wouldn’t _always_ be another machine waiting on the other side. So the remote would let us come back home, no matter what. Even if you destroy this one, if the one in your time is still working . . . it should still work. Theoretically.”

“But what if it doesn’t?” Cole shook his head. “I’m not an expert in time travel, but I don’t want to be stranded where I don’t belong.”

“And you’d rather allow someone with questionable intentions to have access to it?”

“Maybe.”

Jay opened his mouth to agree with Dr. Gordon, but once again, one of the twins cut his words short.

Krux had been listening intently to the conversation At the mention of _another_ way to hop through time, his eyes had flashed.

He swung his head back, snapping Garmadon’s nose with a loud and uncomfortable _crack!_ Instinctively, Garmadon’s hands shot toward his nose, allowing Krux to slip free. The twin then rushed out of the room, his steps loudly echoing all throughout. 

“I’m going to _kill_ him.” Garmadon growled, setting off after him.

Dr. Gordon rushed to the door too. She turned back at the last second, her bright blue eyes boring onto Jay’s. “Destroy it. Before things get worse.”

She then turned away, following behind Garmadon.

“You’re not really going to do it, are you?” Cole let Jay go, reluctantly. “Jay, you can’t.”

“What else _can_ we do? This is what’s supposed to happen, isn’t it? It’s why Acronix wound up stuck in time. Why Krux spent half of his life hunting me down. How else would everything that’s already happen be put into motion? If we change anything . . .” Jay allowed his right arm to fuel up with lightning. One shot. That was all it would take. “We change everything.”

Cole grabbed his hand again, turning Jay away from the machine. The electricity around Jay’s arm died out. “No, Jay. If you- If you destroy it, what about _us?_ Our connection? I can’t- I can’t lose you. Not without getting another chance. What if something happens to you, and I can’t take it back?”

“Cole . . .”

“We can fix it, together. Remember? If we just bring Acronix back, then . . .”

“Cole, I don’t think-“

Cole wasn’t listening. With a determined frown, He tugged Jay forward.

Together, the slipped through time.

* * *

_So, how does it feel to single handedly ruin the fate of Ninjago?_

An imaginary reporter held up his mic up to Dr. Gordon in her mind.

_Whaterve word is worse than terrible. That’s the one I pick._ She replied, skidding out of the room in pursuit of Garmadon and Krux. _My vocabulary isn’t good enough to encompass how I feel._

A loud thud jolted her back into the present situation. Garmadon stood in front of the elevator, growling at the shut doors after having punched the metal. “Stairs it is, then.”

“We should hurry.” Dr. Gordon said, biting her lip. People were starting to arrive as the new day clicked to a start. She didn’t think that more bystanders would stop Krux from doing anything crazy. “The less people around, the better.”

Garmadon nodded, beckoning her to follow as he rushed toward the stairs.

“ _Jay, wait!_ ”

The sound of her son’s name stopped her dead in her tracks. She turned back, searching for the source of the voice. She saw Jay, _small_ Jay, running with his stubby legs right into the lab she’d just left. Another kid ran in behind him, thick black hair bouncing as he moved.

She took a step back toward the lab.

“Gordon, _now!_ ”

Garmadon’s voice forced her to turn away. Krux. She needed to focus on Krux.

Or . . . did she? She was no longer sure about her choices. Was this another mistake?

Her stomach twisted into tatters as she turned away to run up the stairs. Time travel had been a really bad decision. It had made her uncomfortably aware of every one of her actions. Would _this_ trigger inevitable destruction? Would _that_ unleash a famine?

_Butterfly effect, Ha! Feels more like dung beetle effect._ Dr. Gordon laughed without humor.

When she reached Wu’s office, things were at a standstill. Krux already held the remote, and he was pointing his sharpened gauntlet in Garmadon’s direction. Garmadon’s hands twitched, unsure on whether he should risk tackling the twin to the ground.

Krux pressed the buttons of the remote with his free hand. His movements were frantic. “You said this was connected to the time machine! It isn’t working.”

“Yeah,” Dr. Gordon agreed. “It’s connected. To take you _home._ You’re already home, Krux.”

“Then please, tell me why I ran up two flights of stairs.” Garmadon said with a groan.

“Because! He’s still a threat. He-“ Dr. Gordon began. But she didn’t finish.

Behind Krux, a spinning portal opened. Without needing to hesitate, and still clutching the remote, Krux stepped backwards straight into its arms. It spun shut behind him.

“I thought you said the remote would only take him home!” Garmadon wheeled around to face Dr. Gordon. “Care to explain _that?_ ”

“That,” Dr. Gordon blinked. “Was probably Acronix. Which means . . .”

“Those two kids didn’t destroy the machine.”

The reporter returned to Dr. Gordon’s head. _Ouch! Yet another mistake in this avalanche of bad decisions. Care to comment?_

* * *

The machine pulled them forward at a steady pace.

Jay tightened his grip on Cole. His heart threatened to launch itself from his chest. What would they encounter on the other side?

The swirling lights began to clear up. Jay had expected to see _OverCorp._ Had expected to see the office that had become uncomfortably familiar. To see Clancee. Maybe even a snake filled warrior to add to the décor. 

What he saw, was completely different.

Jay and Cole stepped out of the machine, their feet sinking into mounds of ash. All around them, the building was in ruins. Broken walls, scattered debris, everything was on its last legs. It all stood precariously above Ninjago City.

If you could even _call_ it Ninjago City.

Jay stepped closer to the broken windows, his hand slipping from Cole’s as he took everything in. The streets below him looked _nothing_ like what he had grown used to. The large park that had taken up most of the city was gone, replaced instead with what looked to be a giant factory.

The streets were dirty, and all buildings were one breath away form falling apart. The few people that were visibly walking through the streets kept their heads low and shuffled forward quickly. As if they did not want to be seen outside.

In the distance, Jay was able to make out a large statue. Krux _and_ Acronix. They were holding opposite arms up, showing off the sharpened gauntlets they had used before. Except something about these looked different. There was an extra component, but from this distance, Jay wasn’t able to make it out.

“Totally looked like we can just pluc Acronix right out of here, huh?” Jay scowled, looking back at Cole. “You really are a genius. Well. I guess we just need to go back and- no, no, no!”

Cole turned away from the city, and toward Jay. “What?”

“The machine!” Jay rushed back to where they had come from. The machine was broken down, looking as if it had been abandoned for years. Parts were missing, cables sticking out of the control panel. Their ends were burned out, blackened.

Jay kneeled before it, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. From what he could make out, a lot of parts seemed to be missing. And without them, he couldn’t imagine how things were supposed to go together.

“Great! We’re in such a better place than before. What’s better than being hunted down, you ask? Living in a dystopian world where the very person that ruined your life, rules everything! Not only that, but there’s _two_ of him now, and they’re both insane.”

When Cole didn’t reply, Jay turned back to look at him. His expression was hard to read. It was more withdrawn than it had ever been. Cole had an awful habit about keeping negative emotions to himself.

“Cole?” Jay stood, dusting off the ash that clung to his pants. “We can still fix this, you know. I just needed to freak out a little. I want to go home. But . . . all we need to do is fix the machine. Or use whatever _they_ have been using.”

Cole nodded, then turned away, back in the direction of the half-ruined city. “Yeah. That’s- that’s a good plan.”

“Wait, Cole, are you crying?”

“ _No._ ”

“Cole, it’s okay! Really, really. Worst case scenario we live out the rest of our lives here. But that could be cool right? We make a little rebellion and-. . . okay, no time for jokes.” Jay wrapped his arms around Cole’s body, careful not to push at his wound. He pressed his forehead against Cole’s back. “At least we’re together. Right?”

“Sure,” Cole said. “But you don’t understand, Jay. Everything . . . Everything I’ve done is to keep you safe. And all I can do is make things worse! I’m just so . . . so _scared._ And I shouldn’t be scared, I’m supposed to be strong, I’m supposed to protect you, I’m supposed to make everything okay.”

“Says _who?_ ”

“Says _me._ ”

“Well, you’re stupid.” Jay tightened his grip on Cole’s body. “I can be strong, too. I can protect you. I can make everything okay.”

“I don’t- . . .” Cole shook his head. “You shouldn’t have to. You didn’t ask for this. So it’s on me to-“

With an exasperated sigh, Jay let go of Cole, forcing him to turn and face him. “Okay, so I didn’t choose _this_ specifically, you’re right. But I did choose _you_ , Cole. Of course I don’t _have_ to do anything. But I want to! I want to make you feel better! I want to protect you! We’ll figure this thing out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of _course_ I’m sure, boulder brain.” Jay chuckled softly, pushing Cole’s hair up away from his eyes. “I’ll shout it out if I have to.”

“Please don’t.” Cole smiled. “We should probably keep a low profile. And you’re loud.”

“The loudest!” Jay agreed, planting a kiss on Cole’s lips. Cole kissed him back, then crumpled against the gesture as it turned into an embrace. The weight of him made Jay stumbled for a moment, but in the end, Jay regained his balance.

He held Cole tight. He held Cole _up._


	14. Twisted Fates

**CHAPTER FOURTEEN- TWISTED FATES**

**~~NOW~~ **

Cole watched in silence as Jay patched up his bleeding arm. 

They didn’t exactly have a first aid kit at hand. So, Jay had ripped up Cole sleeves into strips, and had used those as makeshift bandages. _Like in the movies!_ Jay had joked, trying to make Cole smile. Cole had. 

“Does it hurt?” Jay dropped his hands from Cole’s arm. He leaned back to get a better look at his handy work. “I’m not going to lie. It looked pretty gross.”

“It’s okay.” Cole said, moving his arm slowly. He flexed his fingers. Open. Close. “It doesn’t hurt too bad.”

“Tough boy,” Jay teased.

“I try.” Cole smiled.

The expression faded quickly, as Cole’s eyes drifted to the time machine. He couldn’t begin to think of how things might be fixed. They were so far gone from normal, there was no clear path back. 

But he didn’t have to fix things alone. He had to remember that. Had to remember that Jay had, well, _grown._ A lot. Jay was no longer someone for Cole to protect. Jay was an equal. Someone that had his back.

Cole had always thought he was selfless. He never put himself first. He carried every burden. But what he’d never realized was that- that was all a little selfish, too. He’d never stopped to think that Jay might want to share the weight of things. 

“I think I’ll try to scout around the city.” Cole said at last, looking back toward Jay. His hair, ruffled against the rising sun, had a soft glow. “Try to think of a plan. You can try and see if there’s any way we can salvage the machine.”

“Why do _you_ get to go out?” Jay said. “I mean, not that I _want_ to but-“

“Because,” Cole said, as his body shimmered out of view. “Ghost.”

“Oh. Yeah. Good point. Heh.”

“I’ll be back then. Be safe.”

“Safe as a firefly on a summer night,” Jay responded with some small nods of his head.

Cole rolled his eyes. “Whatever _that_ means.”

As Cole moved through what was left of _OverCorp_ he became increasingly surprised at the fact that the building was somehow still standing. It was nothing short of a miracle that they both hadn’t been crushed.

The thought brought with it a rush of anxiety. _What if something happens when I’m gone? Maybe I should go back._ Cole’s steps slowed. 

_And do what? Hide in a broken building together? That’s not going to help anyone._

_Jay can take care of himself,_ Cole let out a slow breath, forcing himself to move a little faster. He reached the street, the morning sun almost blinding. _Jay can take care of himself._

He repeated the words. The steady loop was pretty soothing.

Ninjago city was nothing like what Cole had grown up in. He recognized nothing. Nothing was as it should have been. Shops were shut, streets were empty. What could Krux and Acronix possibly get out of making the city like this?

Cole’s feet automatically guided him to the park, where he and Jay had spotted the oversized factories. They were even more imposing in person, slanting menacingly over him. 

_Well, let’s see what the dear old twins have done with their time,_ Cole rolled his eyes. _Pun absolutely not intended._

Peeking through the windows, Cole saw the factory was mostly filled with assembly lines. Pieces moved through, stopping every so often to allow the workers to add or twist some of the parts. It looked senseless. Busy work. 

Cole stepped back. Nothing helpful there. He began to walk around the buildings, spotting more than his fair share of armored vermillion warriors. 

As he turned a corner, a house came into view. It was perfectly nestled in the center of the factories, looking very much out of place. Cole stepped closer. He had a feeling that the twins resided somewhere inside. But how to get in?

Cole looked around for a few seconds, before realizing that he was a _ghost._

He stepped through the door as if it wasn’t there. He then gave himself a disappointed sigh. _Ugh. I’m such a dummy._

The house was oddly furnished. Cole moved through the halls, eyes moving through all the different artifacts that decorated the place. There was no rhyme or reason to where each thing was. The twins clearly did not care about the look of things. 

All in all, the house was a minefield. If the twins got the slightest whiff of a threat, they could undoubtedly wipe him and Jay from the map without much effort. Cole shuddered. 

“-thinking way too small. You’ve never stopped being stubborn and I don’t know why I still listen to you.”

Cole stopped.

“Why do _you_ insist on continuing this research? You’ve learned nothing from the boy in years. Face it. It’s all a big waste of time.” Cole followed the voices, slipping into the room they originated from. “Technology was Dr. Gordon’s downfall. You want it to be yours too? We don’t _need_ it. Progress will only strengthen our enemies.”

Krux and Acronix stood on opposite ends of the room. Cole couldn’t tell them apart. This time, they’d aged together.

“Progress will strengthen _us,_ Krux.” Acronix helpfully labeled his brother. He pointed forward. Cole followed the movement. A pair of gauntlets sat within a crystal box. “If we place the technology of time travel _within_ us, we won’t be held back by needing those things.”

“And if things go wrong? And we lose everything?” Krux shook his head. “You’ve always had to leap too high. If it wasn’t for me, you would have driven us to ruin long ago. We have everything. Ninjago is _ours._ Wu is gone. What more can there be?”

Acronix threw his arms up in the air, words of frustration tripping each other as they struggled to exit his lips. The result was a frustrated groan, followed by a quick shake of his head. “We _can’t_ lose. Not with all we have. But fine.”

Krux shrugged. Acronix stomped out of the room. Cole moved closer to the gauntlets.

_Bingo_ , he thought. If the time machine couldn’t be fixed, they could probably use them to get back.

Satisfied with what he’d found, Cole decided it was time to head back. He couldn’t take the gauntlets now, anyway. Not with Krux still hovering nearby. 

A sudden, sharp pain dug itself against Cole’s head.

Cole faltered, gritting his teeth to keep himself from making a sound. He watched as his hands, already visible to no one but himself, began to flicker in an out of sight. As if he- as if he was ceasing to exist.

The house around him disappeared, replaced by a pressing darkness. The darkness was then pierced by bright white light. _Two._ Headlights! Cole flinched as they rushed right into him. There was an explosion of pain he’d felt only once before. The crash. Two years ago.

Except this time, there was no connection to tug him back from death.

Hospital lights flashed in his vision. Voices and faces muddled together through a sheet of agony. 

Slowly, reality settled back around him. Cole pressed his hands against his eyes, trying to breathe. He was laying on his back. His body was still that of a ghost, but he couldn’t be sure if he’d made a sound or not. 

He struggled, forcing his breathing to settle into a steady rhythm.

* * *

“Whatever _that_ means.”

“It means I’m not going anywhere. I’m not _dumb_ you know. I mean, just because I made poor choices once or twice doesn’t-“ Jay squinted his eyes at the empty space where Cole had been. “ . . . Cole?”

There was no other sound other than Jay’s breathing. With a huff, he looked back down. “Sure. Leave a guy talking to himself, why don’t you? At least I’m nice company. _I_ wouldn’t leave myself.”

_Because you literally can’t, you dingbat._

“Shut up, me. We’ve got some focusing to do.”

Easier said than done. There were so many questions dancing through his mind, about the world they were currently in. How had things turned out so badly? What had happened to the people he knew? Kai, Nya . . . Jay even wondered about Zane.

Time and time again, he found himself pacing over to the window. He had no desire to actually go _out_ there (Trouble found him just fine. He didn’t need to go and tempt it) but watching the streets gave him a bizarre fascination. 

People never traveled alone. They also all seemed to wear the same type of clothes, a set of monochromatic grays spread over shirts, jeans, and shoes. There was a loud clock chiming somewhere in the city, but Jay couldn’t see it.

Once the clock rang for the second time, Jay pushed himself away from the window. “Cole’s sure taking his sweet time. I guess I better have something to show for it.”

Jay plopped down in front of the time machine. “Okay. So how do you work?”

The pattern of cables wasn’t too difficult to follow. Jay could easily imagine the things that could fill in the blanks. Problem was, he’d still have to program it properly. Without the right information shooting through those cables, it wouldn’t really matter if the machine was able to turn on. 

Jay let out a breath. It was time to be honest. He had no actual clue on how the machine worked. He might have been Dr. Gordon’s child, but they didn’t exactly share the same knowledge.

“What use is information forcefully implanted in your brain if you can’t _use_ it?” Jay shook his head. “I’m-“

Jay’s words caught in his throat as the world gave a small spin. Suddenly nauseated, he pressed both hands against his eyes.

An array of unfamiliar memories flashed behind his eyelids. A brightly lid lab. Machines. Around him. _Within_ him. Charts filled with facts and information that he could not read.

And lightning. Lots and lots of lightning. 

“ _If we can figure out how Gordon made the kid tick- . . . the possibilities are endless.”_

_“I know what the possibilities are. But you’re not exactly getting anywhere.”_

_“Yet!”_

Jay shut his eyes tighter. More voices came, but they were garbled together, and he couldn’t make them make sense. Then, in a sudden move that almost felt physical, silence fell around him. 

Jay opened his eyes. For a moment, Jay saw two things at once. He could see the shapes of the broken building, but he could also see a bright white room. In a blink, everything returned to normal.

He shuddered, rubbing his arm to wash away the feeling of needles and restraints that the false memories had left. 

If he had to guess, Jay would say the things he’d seen were all the things he’d lived through in _this_ timeline. They’d felt so real. How long could two versions of himself co-exist in the same space? Jay didn’t know. But he had no doubt that, ultimately, whoever he’d become _here_ would wipe away who he was now.

The thought terrified him. 

“Are you okay?”

Jay’s head snapped up, blue eyes wide. “Cole! You took forever. Are _you_ okay? You don’t look too hot yourself.”

“Just the arm,” Cole said with a shrug. “What’s the veredict on the time machine?”

“No way I’m fixing that thing. Even if we could gather the missing parts, I don’t know that I’d be able to make it work right. Not without at least a few months. And that’s being generous to my intellect.” 

“Well, I-“

Jay held up his hand, silencing Cole’s words. “Wait. Before you tell me anything else . . . I think you’re falling back on your bad lying habits again, Mister.”

“What?”

“You saw memories, didn’t you? Some that weren’t yours?”

Cole shifted his eyes. “Something like that.”

“So it’s not your arm! It’s _that_.”

“My arm _does_ hurt. And don’t _yell._ ” Cole protested, dropping down on a slab of broken concrete across from Jay. “But yeah. It’s maybe a little bit of what your said, too.”

“I’m guessing that we’re starting to merge with the people we are here. And if it’s happening so soon, I’m guessing we don’t have a month or two to fix the machine.”

“Yeah. I’d rather stay as myself.” 

“Agreed.” Jay nodded. He then turned to look at Cole with hopeful eyes. “So . . . what’s he plan?”

“That’s my line. _You’re_ the smart one.” Cole protested.

“Oh, yeah? _You’re_ the secret agent.” Jay shot back.

They each shot each other defiant looks, before simultaneously bursting into soft chuckles.

“We’re really something else,” Cole finally managed to say. He tightened the cloth around his arm.

“Power couple!” Jay said, in between giggles. “But really. Please come up with something. All I can think of is, well, we’ll have to use whatever the time-crazy twins have been using.”

“And yours truly knows exactly where that thing is. I found their place, that’s what I wanted to tell you before. It’s in between all those factories in the park. We could sneak in after dark.”

“Sneak in is my middle name,” Jay said, tossing small sparks into the air, proving the absolute opposite of his point. “We’ve got this whole thing in the _bag_ , baby.”

“Don’t get too cocky.” Cole warned. “The twins are still a threat. They can ruin our plans really easily. Don’t forget, they’ve got time on their side.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Jay said, waving away Cole’s concerns. “Come on, though. You’ve got to admit we’re the best team.”

“We need to be careful,” Cole said. “But we are, without a doubt, the _best_ team.”

“Then let’s do this!” Jay hopped up, finding that rushing blindly forward was the only way to outrun his _what-if_ anxieties. He held his hand out in Cole’s direction, palm out, demanding a high five.

Cole obliged. “Love the enthusiasm. But it’s not exactly night yet. Relax, spark bug.”

“Oh. Right. Yeah. I knew that.”

* * *

Nightfall came a little too soon.

Jay had missed talking to Cole about nothing in particular. Before everything, one of Jay’s favorite pastimes had been sitting with his boyfriend, spinning conversations with no end. One thing would always lead to another, and another- until they could no longer remember what had sparked the words to begin with.

With Cole’s hand in Jay’s own, and Cole’s voice in his ear, even a dystopian future could sort of feel like home. 

“As interesting as my mud-cake childhood recipe is, we should probably get going.” Cole said, running his hand through Jay’s hair. “Come on. We’ve got to get home.”

“Get home. And deal with even more time twin shenanigans.” Jay sighed. “The life of a hero is exhausting. I just want to cuddle. And take at least 7 naps.”

“I’ve been thinking about that, actually.”

“ . . . Cuddling?”

“No,” Cole said. “The twins back in our time. Your mo- Dr. Gordon mentioned a remote. Or something. To send us back, even after the machine is done with.”

“Uh huh?”

“What if we used _that_ to deal with all the threats Krux brought to the present? Without his little army, he’s just a guy. And so is Acronix.”

“It could work.”

Cole nodded. “Not just that, but I’ve been thinking about Garmadon too.”

“He _is_ pretty handsome,” Jay said, with a nod.

“ _Jay._ ”

“Sorry.”

“What I mean is, he said he’d had his eyes on me even _before_ I could ghost in and out of existence. What if the reason for that is because he met us in the past?” Cole stood up. “So then . . .why don’t we just give him a heads up? Ask him to help us in the future? If he sends help into _Over-Corp_ , we could shut everything the twins have planned before they can even begin to guess we’re a threat.”

“That’s . . . a good idea.”

“Well, thank you.” Cole smiled, holding out his hand to help Jay stand.

Together, they headed out of the building. The streets were completely empty. And dark. Most of the lights had been broken or simply burned out, leaving the city stuck in darkness. Jay took Cole’s hand in his own.

Neither of them talked as they walked. Jay’s eyes rushed around their surroundings, taking every sight, and comparing to the world he knew.

Once again he wondered about his friends. Then he wondered about his parents. Where had they ended up in a world like this? There had been no sign of them at all in the memories that had flashed through his mind earlier. 

Who had he become, without their guidance?

“What if they know we’re here?” Jay whispered, as they reached the house. Things had gone a little too smoothly, in Jay’s opinion. The few guards they’d encountered had been easy to slip past. “I’m freaking out a little. Or a lot.”

“We’re close. We just need to hurry.”

“Okay.”

Jay let himself be guided forward. Cole opened the door to a room, letting the moonlight wash into it before stepping inside. He then gave a sigh of relief. “There they are.”

“ _That’s_ what they’ve been using?” Jay asked, stepping closer to a pair of gauntlets in a crystal box. In his curiosity, Jay forgot to be anxious. “It just looks like what Krux cut you with. How do they even work?”

“Not sure.” Cole said, squinting at the crystal box. Jay wondered what he was looking for. “We’ll just have to figure it out as we go.”

“Yes, sir.” Jay said, reaching out.

Before his hand could touch the glass, a voice came from behind them. It froze them on the spot, sending chills down Jay’s spine. He knew it very well.

“Those don’t belong to you.”

It was his own.

Cole and Jay turned back to face the door. And there, coated in shadows, stood Jay himself. His skin was covered in Lichtenberg scars, eyes flashing in a dangerous blue.

“Step away.” The voice of the other Jay was steely and heavy. “Or else.”

With a twitch of his fingers, the other Jay made electricity swirl and wrap itself around his arms. Jay copied the gesture, standing in front of Cole in a protective manner.

“Well, you know what they say.” Jay blew out a breath. “No time travel adventure is complete without having to fight yourself.”


	15. Alternatively Better

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN- Alternatively Better**

**~~NOW~~ **

“I’ve got this.”

Famous last words. Jay had not aken more than one step forward when he was flung back, taking Cole right along with him. They both slammed against the back wall. Left over surges of the electric attack made their muscles twitch.

“Clearly,” Cole grunted, pushing Jay off. “You don’t.”

“Do too! He just caught me by surprise.” Jay said as he stood. To prove his point, Jay formed a shield around himself and Cole, blocking next attack. “Now stay back. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I-“

Jay did not want to let Cole finish his sentence. _I don’t think you should do this alone._ Jay could almost hear the words. But he could (and would) do this alone. He trotted forward, waving a dismissive hand in Cole’s direction. “Just get the gauntlets!”

Cole didn’t answer. Jay gave his full attention to his alternate self. Just in time, too. He leaned to the left, narrowly avoiding a whip of lightning. 

“Why don’t we talk this out?” Jay asked, before dodging again. And _again_. Jay’s heart was fluttering wildly against his chest now. His other self moved fast- too fast. And the grasp and connection he had with his abilities was far beyond anything Jay had mastered. 

His other self did not answer. Instead, He leapt over Jay, eyes glowing brighter still. A continuous stream of sparks trickled out of his fingertips, pushing him higher still. 

Jay gaped, impressed. Before he could turn and watch his other self land, a harsh kick was planted upon his back. Jay fell forward, landing _hard._ His chin rattled as it hit the ground, forcing his teeth to click together. 

There was a soft buzzing behind him, alerting him to another attack. Jay rolled to the left. The lightning followed his movements, burning the wooden floor as it went. Jay managed to push himself up into a sitting position, then pushing up to stand as the lightning grazed his leg.

A garbled half-shout of pain and frustration escaped Jay’s lips.

“Give me a _second_ , this is just rude. I didn’t raise myself to be this way.” Jay shot two bolts forward. _Swish! Swish!_ His other self shot them down without blinking. He then sent a web of lightning in Jay’s direction.

The web grew as it shot forward, almost too fast for Jay’s eyes to catch. There was no time to dodge- no space to, either. The electricity hit, burning Jay up from the inside out. “Okay. So that’s what that feels like. Not a fan.”

“The witty remarks are only serving to distract you.” Jay’s other self pointed out, before shooting short bursts of lightning from each of his palms. 

“No, they serve to keep things interesting.” Jay said, leaping back.

“For _who?_ ”

“Me,” Jay replied. He jumped up, using lightning to propel himself up the way he’d seen his other self do. And it worked! Jay’s eyes widened in giddy wonder. “Ha! Look at- _ack!_ ”

His other self jumped up, hovering higher to kick at Jay’s left hand. Unbalanced, Jay tipped in the air, fighting to stay afloat. He spun once, twice, before finally fluttering to the ground in an ungracefully painful crash. 

Jay’s body rolled to a stop against a desk. The resulting sound was _loud._ Jay flinched, ignoring the throbbing on his side as he strained his ears for the sounds of incoming back up. Nothing. There was only the wind, rattling against the windows. 

A storm was brewing outside. Whether it was natural, or thanks to Jay’s abilities, was a mystery.

The quiet made him realize something else. The room was empty. Well, not _empty_ empty (his other self was marching forward, more than ready to attack again) but- Cole wasn’t there. The gauntlets stood, untouched. And the place where Cole _should_ have been . . . Nothing.

“Cole?”

Where would he have gone? Jay leapt behind the desk, dodging another rush of lightning bolts. Without bothering to look and aim, Jay sent his own array of bolts in the general direction of his counterpart. 

“ _Cole, where are you!?_ ”

Maybe, maybe Cole had come up with a new plan. But what plan could possibly be better than just getting what they’d come for?

_Woosh!_ The desk was pushed aside by a pair of lightning whips. The smell of burning wood clung to Jay’s nostrils. He turned just in time to see his other self looming over him. Without bothering to think, Jay swung a punch forward.

It connected with a satisfying (if somewhat unsettling) _crunch._ Blood seeped from the nose of his other self. His eyes shook back to a regular blue, widening with surprise. 

“Never underestimate the power of a good old fist,” Jay tried to smile, but the anxiety of Cole’s disappearance was weighing down on his comeback game. “They’re a good back up.”

Jay readied himself for a stronger attack, one that would stun his enemy a bit more permanently, before the shock of the punch faded. 

But then- Jay’s vision shifted. _He_ shifted. He was, he was-

- _he was acutely aware of the painful pulse coming from his nose. It made him angry, it made him want to attack, even more so because his inferior self was standing before him with a nonchalant attitude. Not just that, but he would not. Shut. Up._

_Jay shot lightning forward . . ._

. . . and his vision shifted _again_ , returning him to himself just in time to experience the attack full force. His body was slammed against the ground. Everything hurt. His head began to pound, and a strong taste of smoke settled against his tongue. 

Before Jay’s vision could even begin to clear, he felt a scarred hand pressing down against his throat. 

* * *

“I-“

_I don’t want you to do this alone._

_I don’t think you should fight him._

_I don’t want you hurt, either._

So many possibilities hanging in the static-like garble that Cole’s thoughts had become. But the words that actually slipped from his throat were different. “-don’t feel right.”

_I don’t feel right._

The words were in his head, not in his lips. He reached out for Jay in a frantic motion, but Jay was too far, getting further by the second. The room around him was stretching. Like an elastic band, it grew longer and longer, until everything was made up of unrecognizable lines. Even then, Cole did not stop moving back. The world soon became void of any shapes or color.

It became darkness.

He was falling. It took him a second to realize it. But the empty rush in his stomach was unmistakable. He’d felt it before. Hadn’t he?

_Falling through the windshield- Air, cold, hot, rushing through and around him. Even though the pavement was close, the fall lasted forever._

Yes. Forever. Because here he was, still falling, still hurtling toward the inevitable end. He’d never really stopped falling, had he?

“ _Cole?_ ”

The voice was everywhere, but it was no more than a whisper. Cole supposed he should know the person the voice belonged to. But he could no longer remember. Still, the voice had made his fall slow. Something stirred inside him . . . no. No, that was impossible. Once you’d fallen, there was no way back.

Or . . . was there?

“ _Cole, where are you!?_ ”

Where _was_ he? Cole wasn’t sure. He was- he was . . . nowhere. The franticness of the voice made him nervous. It made him feel bad. He was supposed to know who it belonged to. He was supposed to bring that voice comfort. But how could he? He was gone, gone forever, falling forever, and- 

And-

“Jay.” The name escaped him. 

There _was_ a way back. He _had_ fallen before. And he’d climbed back up. Because . . . something held him. A connection. Deep and true and unbreakable. It had called him back _then._ Why not now?

Cole’s fall continued to slow. He was dimly aware of other things in his surroundings now. Mainly the pale blue light wrapped around his middle. It came from Up There, it came from the Voice, from Jay, he was sure of it. Tentatively, Cole reached out to grasp it.

It slid around his fingers, as if it couldn’t quite decide if it existed or not. Cole reached up with his other hand too, clinging with as tight a grip as he could muster. With the effort of both his mind and his body, Cole managed to come to a standstill.

“Jay.” Cole said again, as the blue light fed him snippets of memory. The time machine, his choice, the alternate universe he’d trapped them in. Jay needed his help, and he needed Jay’s, and none of these things would happen if he didn’t _climb._

With gritted teeth, Cole pulled himself up, ignoring the pull of gravity beneath him, ignoring the fall that awaited if he were to slip up.

“Jay, I’m here!” Cole shouted the words, and he could actually _hear_ himself, could actually feel his vocal chords shivering with sound. The room, Krux and Acronix’s home, slowly came into view.

Jay was pinned down by his other self, a sturdy hand wrapped around his freckled throat. Jay was flailing, stubbornly seeking to make some damage, _any_ damage, but his movements were growing weaker.

“ _Jay!_ ” Cole was thrown back into the moment all at once. He clenched his fists tight. _The gauntlets._ Cole turned, driving his fist into the glass case.

It shattered easily. The gauntlets slipped into his waiting palms.

He didn’t know how they worked, but there wasn’t time to sit and fiddle. Cole slipped one onto his left hand, then rushed in Jay’s direction, pointing the gauntlet forward.

“ _Stop!_ ”

* * *

Cole had been gone one second. And he’d somehow reappeared the next. 

He looked bewildered, eyes wide and unfocused. Or, at least, that’s what Jay could make out. And right now, he wasn’t really trusting his sight very much. It was blurring quickly.

His other self continued to press down against his throat. The pressure was impossible to fight against. Jay tried anyway.

It hurt to move, but move Jay did. He tightened his fists, striking against the shoulder of his other self. In the corner of his vision, Cole snapped to action, fighting off whatever had been occupying his mind.

_We’re still merging,_ Jay managed to think, remembering the bizarre switch in perspective that had landed him where he was. _So where did_ he _go?_

Dark dots edged closer around his vision. Something shattered somewhere in the room. Jay’s punches turned into feeble slaps, a final attempt to get his other self _off_. His other self was unaffected. Jay’s throat gave a soft growl of frustration. _Stubborn_ and _rude. Is he even really me?_

“ _Stop!”_

The pressure against Jay’s throat ended. Jay blinked. Or- tried to. He found that he couldn’t move. Or if he could, he wasn’t doing it very fast at all. He wasn’t even sure he was breathing anymore. Wasn’t sure he even _needed_ to breathe, for that matter. 

Cole came into view at the edge of Jay’s vision. _The gauntlets!_ Jay could have jumped for joy, had his body been allowed to do so.

“Uh,” Cole said. “Go?”

Time clicked back into place. Jay’s other self fell forward, attack slipping after the jarring pause. Jay pushed him back, and with Cole’s help, was able to toss him aside. Jay then used Cole’s legs to climb back up to a standing position.

“Thanks,” Jay wheezed.

“You don’t even know how they work!” Jay’s other self stood again, the glow in his eyes returning slowly. 

“I know enough,” Cole said. Jay’s other self raised his arms with a growl, lighting brewing within. Cole mirrored the move. “Stop.”

Once again, time slowed. But this time, Jay, clinging onto Cole as he was, remained unaffected. “ Whoa. Let me see!”

Cole handed the gauntlet that wasn’t strapped to his hand over to Jay. Jay took it, eagerly looking at it from every angle. “Weird. How do you think they _built_ it?”

“No clue.” Cole said. Jay strapped the gauntlet onto his right hand. He then raised his arm, ready to aim it at something. Cole held him down. “If the one I’m using slows things down, what do you think _that_ will do?”

“We don’t _know_ what it will do. It could just do the same thing! That’s why I’m checking.”

“I’d rather not risk having you, or anything in this room, zooming around at the speed of sound.”

“Come _on_ , Cole. Where’s your sense of scientific curiosity?”

“Never had it.” Cole said. “Come on. We need to figure out how to get home. Before anyone else shows up.”

“Um. Well. Ah. There’s . . . There are no real controls that I can make out.” Jay frowned. “It must activate with movement, or with voice commands? Both?”

Jay ran his hand over the gauntlet. He then moved it closer to Cole’s, comparing them both. They didn’t look very different, as far as he could tell.

Frustration threatened to overwhelm him. He hadn’t figured the time machine out, and now he’d never figure out how these things worked either. Then they’d be stuck here forever- or at least, until they inevitably merged with their counterparts. 

Some protector he’d turned out to be. He’d promised Cole they’d figure things out. That things would be okay. And now? Well, now they’d probably both spend their lives in dull clothing, staring at ugly statues of-

“The statues!” Jay face palmed. “Ugh. Obvious much?”

“Um.” Cole blinked. “No?”

“I mean, I said it myself. They probably respond to movement . . . Here.” Jay raised up Cole’s gauntleted arm. “Okay, stand just like that.”

“Okay?”

“Then me,” Jay stood beside Cole, mirroring the pose. “And . . . nothing. Really?”

“Jay, what-“ Cole began to turn, slowly lowering his raised arm.

“Don’t! I’m thinking.” Cole’s arm responded to Jay’s snappy tone by returning to place. “Maybe we’re supposed to hold hands?”

Jay reached out, taking Cole’s hand in his own. The reaction was almost instant. The gauntlet tightened against his wrist, and he could feel a lively connection running down from his arm and into Cole’s.

The gauntlets gave of a soft glow. A small portal began to form directly across from them. It grew very tentatively, as if feeling out its surroundings. Jay held Cole’s hand tighter. “Come _on._ ”

The portal continued to grow. When it finally stopped, it was an almost exact replica of the one they’d jumped through using the time machine. The swirling colors were a bit different (These had more of a blue hue) but Jay had a feeling it all worked the same nonetheless.

“You did it!” Cole smiled, as they both slowly let go. “We’re- We’re going back.”

“I _hope_ I did it. I mean, we still don’t know what’s on the other side. I figured it would maybe pick up on what we _wanted_ but . . . I don’t know, you know?”

“Well, can’t be worse than here.”

“If you jinx us, I’ll kill you.”

“Sorry, sorry.” Cole chuckled. “So . . . do we take these off? Or do we . . . take them with us?”

“We should most definitely not take them with us.” Jay strapped off the gauntlet slowly, keeping an eye on the portal. When it didn’t threaten to fade, he took it off completely. Cole followed suit. “What do we do . . . about _him_ though? Seems mean to leave him like that.”

“I don’t trust him. He’d kick both of our butts before we even took two steps.” Cole said. Jay’s other self was still in mid-attack, moving too slow for the eye to pick up. “And . . . would it matter what we did? I mean- we’re trying to prevent this from happening at all, aren’t we?”

Jay shuddered. “That’s a scary thought. What if someone in _our_ time did something that completely messed us up? And we wouldn’t even _know_.”

“Don’t think about it too much.”

“Too late.”

“Let’s just get back, freckles. We can panic about time continuum and its consequences once everything is over.”

“Okay.” Jay replied, once again taking Cole’s hand in his own. “Let’s go.”


	16. Closed Circle

** CHAPTER SIXTEEN- CLOSED CIRCLE **

** NOW **

“We’re back.”

Cole glanced around himself. The lab was empty. Things were still strewn about the room, the after effect of their fight with the twins. He wouldn’t be surprised if mere seconds had ticked since they’d been gone.

The time machine behind them spun hypnotically.

“You know what I have to do, don’t you?” Jay squeezed Cole’s hand gently, before letting go. Wisps of lightning danced over his freckled skin. All ready to destroy the machine. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I know.” It wasn’t until Cole said the words that the familiarity of the situation struck him. He’d been here before. Years and years ago. At the beginning of everything.

Now, at the end of everything. 

Cole’s body shook. He was sure that if Jay succeeded in destroying the machine, their connection would be broken. That string of fate that had pulled him out of darkness not once, but twice. That string that had always given him the power of certainty- despite everything, he and Jay had been bound together. 

What would happen without it? Cole’s hands balled into fists. It took a lot of willpower not to make the same mistake twice.

He would let Jay do what needed to be done. What came after, well, they could figure that all out together.

With one last look at Cole, Jay struck the machine with lightning. The swirling lights trembled against his power. The machine was no match for the destruction Jay could cause.

“They’re going to break it!”

The panicked shout was barely registered by Cole’s ears. The one after was a little clearer. “Jay, don’t!”

A child came into view. Jay’s younger self. Jay gaped, aged blue eyes connecting with their innocent counterparts. “Whoa. Dude, it’s-"

Jay’s next words didn’t make it out of his mouth. Cole’s younger self came tumbling into view. His small hands were reaching, eyebrows scrunched up with worry. Cole knew what came next. 

Young Cole slammed against young Jay’s body. They both toppled forward, into the arms of the swirling machine.

“Was . . . Was that-?” The lightning in Jay’s arms died out. The damage, however, had already been done. The machine was smoking now, with crackling sparks breaking echoing in the room as it broke down further. The light within was shifting colors quickly. It was painful to look at. 

“ _Yes,_ ” Cole and Jay stood rooted to the spot.

Someone had saved them. Someone would come. Right? Cole glanced out into the hall. It was empty. There was no sign of Garmadon _or_ Dr. Gordon. Or anyone else, for that matter.

No one was coming. Then-

“We, we need to get us out of there.” Cole stepped forward. They had to save _themselves._ It was sort of poetic. In a way.

“Uh, what?”

Cole didn’t repeat his statement. He pushed Jay aside, closing the distance between himself and the machine. 

He remembered being inside very clearly- too clearly. The fear, the confusion, the stubborn pulls on his body as time sought to tear him apart. But he also remembered holding tight onto Jay’s small hand. Knowing he wasn’t alone.

“Don’t let me fall in,” Cole ordered, reaching out his left hand toward Jay, before pushing his other into the swirling lights. Smoke tickled against his throat. 

“Wait, what? Whoa. Whoa, Cole wai-" Jay’s voice was cut off abruptly as Cole pushed himself into the machine. He felt Jay’s hand close against his own in a tight grip. The wound on his shoulder split again. Cole did his best to ignore the growing ache.

He couldn’t see. The machine was a flow of twitching images that burned against his eyes, blinding him to whatever might be ahead. 

Had he hesitated too long? Cole stepped further in. One foot. The other. Jay’s grip on his hand became desperate. 

Cole’s arm reached blindly. It couldn’t be too late. It- there! A brush of skin against his fingers. Cole leaned closer, mildly aware that at this point, he was probably pulling Jay in with him. His outstretched fingers finally came into contact with a small hand.

Cole held it tight.

Something within him seemed to snap.

* * *

Jay closed his eyes.

The swirling lights of the machine were too bright and too close. The weight of Cole’s body was threatening to tip him forward.

Jay gripped the edge of the machine. It burned against his skin, Around his hand, Cole’s hand tightened, giving Jay’s arm a tug. 

Was that supposed to mean something? Flustered, Jay began to pull Cole back, hoping he wasn’t making a mistake. It was slow going. Time’s grip was strong, and Jay was tired. It took all of his strength to simply keep himself balanced. 

When Cole’s body slowly returned to view, things became easier. With one final rough tug, they all fell back. Jay landed on his back. Cole’s weight soon followed, along with the weight of their younger selves. 

Jay couldn’t even groan in protest. Cole shifted, elbow digging against his side, and a whimper finally made it past his lips. 

“Don’t tell me I lived through everything just to be smothered to death by my boyfriend. And not even in a good way.” Jay coughed, struggling to push Cole off. Wide eyed, Cole rolled himself and the kids off of Jay. “ _Thank_ you.”

Before them, the time machine gave one final flash of light before powering down completely in a burst of shaky flames. Jay coughed again. “We were almost _in_ that.”

“Yeah,” Cole said. His eyes seemed . . . different. Jay couldn’t pinpoint why.

“You okay?”

“Better question. Are _we_ okay?” Cole looked down at their younger selves. He coughed against the smoke. “We should probably get out of here.”

Feeling very weird, Jay picked himself up. It was a dizzying sensation, seeing his own body, without it being a reflection. Even if he _was_ considerably younger, it was still undeniably _him._ His mind was having a little bit of trouble with processing everything. 

They stepped out of the room, smoke trailing into the hall behind them. It triggered the fire alarm, leaving them soaked in cold water in an instant. The blaring sounds of alarm did nothing for Jay’s growing headache.

He exchanged a glance with Cole, before simply sliding down against the wall and plopping onto the hall. He let the water continue to drench his clothes, his hair- he had no energy left to do anything about anything. 

The sound of quick heels reached their ears. Then there was a curse, and the heels were replaced by the slap of bare feet against wet ground. Dr. Gordon ran into view. “You’re okay! All of you!! Oh, _guys._ ”

“Barely okay,” Jay said. Dr. Gordon stepped closer, pulling her unconscious child into her arms. Jay couldn’t help but notice that she was shaking.

“Well, at least I know you get through this just fine, huh?” 

“True,” Jay said, still somewhat mesmerized by his childhood self. 

“Yes, we’ll both be just fine.” Cole said, in a tone that Jay thought to be a bit harsh. “But what happened with Krux?”

* * *

** BEFORE **

Dr. Gordon didn’t want to think about Krux.

She also didn’t want to make any more decisions. 

But Wu, it seemed, was ready to make some choices happen. He’d intercepted her and Garmadon as they’d stopped by her office. And now, they were trapped.

She really just wanted to send Jay and Cole back home.

“Krux says he only followed his brother’s misguided advice,” Wu said. He sat on one side of the desk, while Garmadon sat on the other. Dr. Gordon sat _on_ the desk itself, of course. “Cyrus is inclined to believe him. And crazy as it may seem . . . I feel like it’s important that we give him a second chance.”

Dr. Gordon shifted. Letting Krux off the hook would only end badly. 

“Crazy. You’re right about that part," Garmadon scoffed. “You didn’t see them, Wu. They’re _both_ insane. We can’t- we can’t just let Krux get away with what he did.”

“He won’t be getting away with it. He will be demoted. We can’t throw every person that upsets you into Kyrptarium, Garmadon.”

“Ninjago would be safer if we did.”

“ _I’ll_ keep an eye on him.” Wu continued, ignoring the harsh glare from his brother’s eyes. “It’s the best thing to do.”

“You know what? I don’t want to be a part of this, then. I quit. And when _OverCorp_ burns to the ground, don’t expect me to sweep your body out of the ashes.”

“Well, you’ve never been very good at sweeping any way.” Wu shrugged.

“Are you seriously going to-"

Dr. Gordon cleared her throat. Loudly. She tugged at the sleeves of her labcoat. “I want Jay’s name erased from the research files. Krux, no Krux, whatever the case ends up being- I don’t want my son to keep being a part of it.”

“I agree,” Garmadon said. “Your son- I saw what he’s going to be capable of doing. He will be dangerous. To himself, to others, anyone who might seek to manipulate him could easily turn him into a weapon. We need to hide him. To keep everyone safe.”

“What?” Wu shook his head. “With his abilities, he could grow up to be Ninjago City’s protector. With him, we would not have to worry about anyone who might harm the city.”

“ _Protector?_ Are you out of your mind?” Garmadon shook his head. “I assume you’ve forgotten about your other ‘protector’. Morro, was it? How did _that_ end up, Wu?”

“Jay has a good heart. If we raise him to-"

Dr. Gordon slammed her fists against the desk. “Stop it! _Both_ of you. Jay is a _child._ What he needs is to be able to lead a normal life! He does _not_ need to be locked away and he will _not_ be raised to be at anyone’s service.”

Garmadon and Wu were startled into silence. It was Wu who broke it. “We can discuss this at a later date. Once we’ve all had a moment to think. We should focus on getting the- getting the boys back to their time for now.”

“There isn’t anything _to_ think about! I-" Dr. Gordon’s words ended in a growl of frustration. She drummed the palms of her hands against her knees. “Fine. Okay. Fine. Sure. We get them home.”

For a moment, there was only silence. It was thick with mistrust. Unspoken gears began to twist in each of their minds, forming a plan to control Jay’s life. 

“I sent them up to my office with a change of dry clothes.” Garmadon stood. “Let’s go, Gordon. I’m sure Wu has plenty to do, now that I’ve quit.”

“You were being serious?” Wu asked.

“Of course I was. You think I’m dumb enough to stay here, and become a pawn in whatever Krux is planning? No. You can have _all_ the fun. I’ll pass.”

Garmadon stepped out of the room. Dr. Gordon gave Wu a quick shrug before following.

As they walked down the hall, Dr. Gordon slid her phone into her hand. She glanced at Garmadon’s back. No way was she going to let him, or Wu, have any say in Jay’s life. He’d grow up safe. He’d grow up happy. He’d grow up with good parents- far, _far_ away from the reach of any oversized corporations. 

Ed and Edna would be good. They’d been good to her, after all. She couldn’t think of a better candidate to raise little Jay. Now it was just a matter of getting Jay away, without Wu or Garmadon’s knowledge.

Luckily, she knew a guy.

_Hey Ronin. I’m going to need a favor._

* * *

**NOW**

Jay had fallen asleep. 

Garmadon had left them in his office, after having Cole’s arm properly bandaged (which did wonders for the pain) and giving them each a set of clean, dry clothes. Black shirts, black sweats, both with the _OverCorp_ logo printed neatly in white font. Good thing big corporations never tired of advertising themselves. Otherwise, he and Jay might have been left to air dry.

“Just wait here. We have to take care of some things.” Garmadon had said, before stepping out. That had been at _least_ an hour ago.

In Cole’s mind, ‘taking care of some things’ had mainly involved getting the time machine’s so called remote control booted up and ready to go. Apparently though, taking care of things involved _every_ little thing that _wasn’t_ getting them back home.

Cole shifted in the small couch they sat on, making sure to keep himself from waking Jay. He didn’t mind the weight of him against his arm, but it was beginning to get a little uncomfortable.

Although small sets of yawns began to pester Cole on and off, his mind was infinitely too active to allow him to doze off. His present situation was far too overwhelming to shut down. 

When the time machine had broken- something had broken inside him too. Cole had _felt_ it. Could _still_ feel it. A certain emptiness. It made him feel ungrounded and unfocused. And he knew exactly what it meant, although he still refused to accept it.

It was all over. He could no longer phase in between being a ghost and a human. His abilities were gone. That tether- that connection he’d held with Jay- it was gone. He’d been granted a second chance to live, yes, but from now on each of his choices were final once again. 

Cole’s stomach churned. He felt like he was going to be sick.

Voices approached down the hall, mercifully pulling him out of his worries. The door to the office swung open. Jay jolted up with rapid blinks, wiping away any traces of drool, fighting to pretend he’d been awake all along.

“Hey.” Dr. Gordon waved sheepishly at them both. Garmadon followed close behind. “Okay. So . . . we’ve got to get you guys home.”

“Yes,” Cole said.

“No sweat though,” Jay smiled. “After all, this is time traveling we’re talking about. Not like you can be late if you get to choose the when.”

“That’s a great point,” Dr. Gordon replied, sharing a quick smile with her son.

“All the same, I think I’d rather get back as soon as we can. We’ve caused enough trouble,” Cole said, taking hold of Jay’s hand. 

“Right. Yeah. Of course. Yeah.” Dr. Gordon nodded. She gave a quick glance in Garmadon’s direction, then half stepped out of the room before backing right back in. “Actually Jay, would you mind helping me? To . . . you know, uh, calibrate the remote with your- your time and stuff.”

“Um.” Jay glanced at Cole, who shrugged, then back at Dr. Gordon. “Sure, okay.”

Jay let go of Cole’s hand. He and Dr. Gordon stepped out of the room together. Cole felt his absence instantly. His fingers dug against the small couch, leather crackling under his nails. Garmadon glanced at him with mild disinterest, before starting to toss things into an empty box.

“I’d tell you _not_ to destroy that but, seeing as to how it’s _OverCrop_ property and I’m no longer an employee . . . go nuts, kid,” Garmadon said. He frowned at a framed picture sitting on his desk. He then shrugged and tossed it into the trash.

“Sorry,” Cole said, relaxing his grip.

“Like I said, I don’t care.”

It was weird, seeing Garmadon and knowing he did not yet know Cole as well as Cole knew him. There was a certain comfortable familiarity Cole felt around the man, and he had to keep reminding himself that their connection hadn’t been established.

“Your name was Cole?” Garmadon asked. Cole nodded. “I’ve gotta say, I like you. You really stood your ground back then. You get into a lot of trouble, in the future? Present? Whatever?”

“Some,” Cole said. “But I’m good at figuring it out. We-"

Cole stopped. Frowned. There was an idea blossoming in the back of his mind. 

When they returned to their own time, there would be Krux and Acronix to deal with. With his abilities gone, the chances of things going wrong had risen rather dramatically. Cole realized he would need help. _They_ would need help. And even if Kai, Nya and Zane showed up . . . He wasn’t sure they’d be enough.

“You alright?”

“Actually . . .” Cole said, looking up at Garmadon. “I think I might need your help.”

“Er. Mine? Listen, kid, I’m not exactly-"

“No, not now.” Cole’s eyes glinted against the sun. “In the future.”

* * *

“I thought- I thought the remote thing was supposed to automatically send anyone to their own time?” Jay asked, trying to keep up with Dr. Gordon’s quick strides. The woman wasn’t much shorter than he was, but she was _fast._ “I sort of had an idea but, if it has to be calibrated every time then-"

“It doesn’t need to be calibrated. I lied.m,” Dr. Gordon said, matter-of-factly, as she trotted up the stairs.

Jay continued to follow. “Um. Okay. Then what . . .”

“I just- I just thought, I meant, I guess this is the only time I’ll get to see _you_ you, you know? And I don’t know. I know I can’t really get to know you in a few minutes, but I sort of wanted to try.” Dr. Gordon shrugged. She moved out of the stairs and back out into a new hall.

There were no labs on this floor. It was filled with a few offices, and an oversized break and lunch area, lit up by an awe-inspiring set of floor to ceiling windows. Jay gaped at the landscape offered by Ninjago City. His steps slowed as they walked past.

“It’s weird to think everything started here for me,” Jay said. “I don’t even remember anything about this building at _all._ ”

“I’m happy you forgot. I don’t- I never should’ve made you part of this,” Dr. Gordon said. She stopped before one of the doors. As she began to unlock it, Jay finally moved again.

He had no reply for her statement. He wasn’t sure how he felt about having no memory of this section of his life. Part of him wished he could remember Dr. Gordon as a mother. He felt sort of guilty, not feeling anything in particular towards her. She was fun. She was nice. But . . . she wasn’t _mom._

Jay followed her into the open office. It was very plain. There wasn’t much, aside from a large black safe and a desk with a grey pencil holder. Dr. Gordon knelt before the safe. She twisted the knob left, right, left again. The door swung open. “Should be in here somewhere. Wu’s super organized so it shouldn’t- Ah, yeah. Here it is.”

The device that Dr. Gordon pulled from the safe was smaller than Jay had imagined. It was a thin, black rectangle. It had only one grey button, perfectly centered. Jay’s first thought was that it looked very easy to lose.

“Thanks,” Jay said, reaching out for the remote. He slipped it into his back pocket. “And thanks for- for helping Cole wake me up and all that.”

“Well, that was all my fault to begin with so . . .” Dr. Gordon shrugged. There was a long, very awkward, silence. Jay wanted to wave goodbye and rush back to Garmadon’s office. But in the end, Jay found that he was too polite (or cowardly) to end the moment.

“They were good to you, right? Edna? Ed?” Dr. Gordon was still kneeling before the safe. 

“Of course.” Jay nodded. “They’re the best. I love them more than anything.”

“Yeah." Dr. Gordon finally looked up with a smile. Jay pretended not to see the tears she was quick to wipe. “Me too.”

“I, um, I really like inventing stuff too. I think I wouldn’t mind working here, with Cyrus. Once we finally put this whole twin thing to rest.” Jay said. “I have a lot of ideas, you know? It’s like my brain doesn’t know how to shut up. Blessing _and_ a curse, really.”

Dr. Gordon’s eyes lit up. “I totally understand! Can’t even get through one idea without starting another one.”

“Well, to be fair, if we could focus and finish _every_ little thing- we’d be too powerful,” Jay said, Dr. Gordon stood. “It’s really in everyone’s best interests that we remain scatterbrained.”

“Agreed.” Dr. Gordon nodded. They stepped out of the room together. “Thanks, Jay. For talking with me, I mean. I’m sorry about everything and I wish it could’ve really just been me and you against the world.”

“It’s okay. And there’s probably an alternate universe where that _does_ happen.”

“Yeah. But I think I’m done messing around where I don’t belong.” Dr. Gordon locked the door. “Let’s just get you two back home.”


	17. One More Time

**CHAPTER 17- One More Time**

**NOW**

Clancee felt very anxious.

Which, in and of itself, wasn’t very unusual. He was used to feeling this way- unless he had a task at hand to keep him busy. But this time, the anxiety making him wring his hands together was a little different. This time, it was coupled with a sense of anticipation.

He had _done_ something. He’d let Cole go. He’d let _Jay_ go. Not just that, but he had allowed them both to use the time machine.

Every action came with consequences. That was one of the first things Clancee had ever learned. And with each second, Clancee came closer to facing the results of everything. His gut was so wound up, he was surprised he hadn’t yet folded into himself. 

“Oh, Clancee, you should _not_ have messed with things.” Clancee told himself. He began to pace back and forth through the length of the room. “Now look at the mess you’re in! And for no good reason at all!”

Clancee’s hand sought the metal bracelet around his wrist. He did not want to imagine the punishment Krux would come up with. But part of him was beginning to picture a few worst case scenarios. Like ‘be-wiped-from-existence’ type scenarios.

Behind him, the time machine shifted colors. Clancee stumbled away. His eyes widened. Panic soared inside him. Had he somehow managed to break the machine, too? For the first time ever, Clancee seriously considered simply running away.

Then, two shapes formed against the lights. Soon enough, they’d hopped out of the machine, and into the room with him.

Clancee blinked, hope and joy blurring away the panic from seconds before. “Y-you’re back!”

“Yes, finally.” Cole smiled, breathing a small sigh of relief. Clancee noticed a bandage half hidden under the short black sleeve of Cole’s shirt. He also noticed that their clothes were completely different.

“Y-you didn’t miss much. You’d only- you’d only just left.” Clancee offered, blinking hard. He was glad they were back. He had not wanted to face Krux alone. “What happened? Are y-you okay?”

“ _Everything_ happened. But we’re fine.” Jay answered. “I mean, neither of us died. So . . . that’s a plus?”

“A plus.” Cole agreed. “Now. Clancee. We’re . . . going to need a little more of your help.”

“M-more?” Clancee felt his scales grow cold. Or well. Cold- _er._

“Those crystal cages outside,” Jay said. He moved up to the section of the room that was filled with monitors. He pointed at the camera currently displaying what he was referring to. “Can you get them open?”

“Well, yes, of course, but th-that’s a bad idea.” Clancee said. “Th-they don’t really listen. They’re dangerous.”

“They’re just like you. They don’t belong here. We’re sending them back.” Jay said. Clancee had no argument to that. But he did have a few questions.

“Sending them b-back?” He asked. “Could you . . . send _me_ back as well?”

There wasn’t anything wrong with this time in particular. Clancee didn’t harbor any negative feelings toward it- and surprisingly, he didn’t harbor any negative feelings toward Krux, either. But he didn’t belong here, and he would be happy to return home. To the sea, to his crew- to life as he’d always known it.

“Of course,” Cole said. He guided them all outside the room. Jay rushed past him, his eyes taking in the sight of everything. He had been too preoccupied the first time he had passed through the room, but now, now he could feed every bit of curiosity. “This is the last favor we’ll ask.”

“Alright,” Clancee said. He approached the cage closest to him, but his fingers froze above the keypad, as a voice boomed through the room.

“Glad to see you’re back from your little time trip,” It was Krux, standing by the open door on the opposite side of the room. Acronix stood beside him. 

“How did you . . .?” Jay froze on the spot.

“How did I _know?_ Come on. I thought you were supposed to be smart.” Krux shook his head. “I lived it. Or don’t you remember? Well. I’m sure Cole does. How’s the shoulder?”

Cole frowned. “Jay get back here.”

“I suppose now you’ll try to send my little army back where it belongs? Be my guest. I’ll even give you all a little help.”

A loud beeping sound rushed through every corner of the room. A rush of clicks followed. Clancee recognized the sound instantly.

The locked cages were opening. One by one.

“Jay get _back_ ,” Cole said, a bit more desperate now. He stepped forward, shielding Clancee from what was to come. “Any way we can reason our way out of this, Clancee? You’re pleasant enough to talk to, despite the different times.”

“I’m- I’m not sure. Most of them have been here a _long_ time. Th-they’ll be angry.”

“But not with _us,_ ”

Clancee shrugged. With a small wave, Acronix and Krux stepped back out of the room, locking the door behind them.

“Great,” Cole said. “Well. I guess doing this the easy way was too much to hope for.”

* * *

Garmadon shifted in his seat. “Can we go any faster?”

“ _No._ ” Said his driver, Turner, clearly offended. “I’m breaking _every_ law here, Garm. There is no way to go faster than this.”

Garmadon knew the words rang true. But he tapped his fingers against his leg in a sign of impatience anyway.

Years before, Cole had asked him for a favor. A very bizarre favor- to show up at _OverCorp_ at a very specific time, on a very specific day. With enough of his agents to stage a possible rescue. 

Garmadon hadn’t taken the promise too seriously at first. But he’d never forgotten it either. As his whole life continuously revolved around Jay- finding him, keeping him safe, keeping him _sane,_ the promise had begun to fill out with a bit more weight.

And now, here he was, rushing toward something that had been building up for years.

His phone began to vibrate against his leg. A call. Now of all times, Garmadon didn’t want to pick up. His brain was full enough, thank you. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the luxury to ignore trouble when it came. 

He slid his phone into his hand to answer, eyes sweeping over the called ID. _Skylor._ Garmadon tried not to sigh. “Talk to me.”

_You on your way to OverCorp?_

“I am,”

_You might want to watch your head,_ Skylor said. _There’s a really, really bad storm brewing up right above it._

Jay. Had to be. “Weird how?”

_Well._ Skylor paused. _It’s- it’s converging above OverCorp, but it looks like its coming from four different directions. Four different parts of the city._

“What do you mean?”

_One is blowing in from a bit of rain by the hospital on third street. Then there’s one coming in from the city’s south- another near center park. And lastly, one at the very edge of the city. I can’t really get an exact location._ Skylor said. _Wish you could see my computer screen right now._

“Okay. Well. Thank you for the warning, Skylor.”

_Sure thing._

Garmaodn hung up. He bit back the urge to tell Turner to hurry once again. He thought of the locations Skylor had mentioned. A pattern instantly formed in his mind.

Jay’s first lightning induced breakdown- the one where Garmadon had finally pinpointed his location with. It had been near the park.

South side of the city . . . Dareth’s dojo. Once again, a place where Jay had used his abilities. 

The hospital. 

And an unknown point outside of the city. 

Garmadon took a slow breath. Then, he resigned to making a decision for the good of the city. Putting aside his own judgments and well being, he picked up the phone and dialed another number.

The phone beeped, seeking to connect. _Hello?_

“Hey, Wu.”

* * *

“Remind me again, _why_ we trusted the little runt?”

Kai hopped onto their van, fumbling angrily with the seatbelt. It kept slipping out of his hands, which refused to stop shaking. He couldn’t know who he was mad at the most- Jay, for running off, or himself, for having failed so quickly at taking care of him.

“We’ll get him back,” Nya said, as she strapped in without a problem. Show off. “And _then_ we’ll give him a piece of our minds. What was thinking?”

“Most likely worried about Cole,” Zane pointed out. He slid the backdoor of the van shut. “Understandable, but most unwise.”

“Couldn’t agree more, Zane. Now the _real_ problem is, how do we get into _OverCorp?”_ Kai, finally conquering the seatbelt, sped off into the street. “It’s not like any of us can just blend in.”

“We’ll worry when we get there.” Nya said.

Silence followed. Kai tried to ease his nerves. They’d gotten Jay out of the Police Department. Cole had, quite literally, come back from the dead. Even when the odds were against them, things ultimately turned out for the best. Even if it did take countless twists and turns to arrive.

Kai clutched the steering wheel. Yeah. Yeah, things would be okay. 

* * *

A storm was brewing. Wu did not like the sight.

He also didn’t like the fact that his brother had called him. Not because he had something against Garmadon, but because he knew his brother would _never_ ask for help, unless the situation was almost beyond hope.

Neither of them had spoken much after Gordon’s death. Garmadon had blamed Wu, and although Wu had wanted to trust that his brother would never have a hand in a thing like that- he would be lying if he didn’t believe he held a few seeds of suspicion. 

The fact that they would come together now, after all those years, in the very place everything had started . . .

Wu’s car slid into _OverCorp_ ’s parking lot, followed with as much back up as the chief of police had allowed him. Which wasn’t nearly as much as he’d hoped to have. A few other vehicles parked nearby. He recognized one of them as Garmadon’s.

He stepped out of the car, ready to give his brother a quick greeting, when someone else stepped into his field of view, exiting the large white van that had skidded inside. “Kai?”

“Oh. Hey, Chief.” Kai blinked. “You’re-um. You’re here.”

“Yes. As are you.”

“I’m assuming we’re both here to help Jay. So, maybe we can talk about the consequences of me breaking him out of the police department _after_ everything’s said and done.”

Wu blinked in disbelief. “That was _you?_ ”

“Oh.” Kai frowned. “No?”

“That’s not really our problem right now. You can yell at your rebellious employees later. Like me.” Garmadon stepped in between them both. He glanced at a man standing by Kai’s side. “Quite a surprise to see you here, Zane. Haven’t seen you in a while. Not since you and Cole decided to go missing.”

Zane smiled apologetically. “We had . . . some things to take care of.”

“Oh, I’m sure.” Garmadon said. “But like I said, there’ll be time for all of that later.”

* * *

Jay bounced with energy.

He could take every threat down and out, no problem. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt _strong._ Stronger than usual. Not only that, but there was a strange tug ordering him forward. He wanted to follow Krux and Acronix. 

But he had to focus on the plan. He wasn’t supposed to hurt anyone- just send them home.

It should have been an easy task, but thanks to the twins, the room had quickly become an all out brawl. They were all too enraged from being locked up for so long- they were ready to attack anyone. Anything. Skeletons, Ghosts, Snakes . . . even creatures Jay could not name.

“ _Watch_ yourself, Jay.” Cole pulled Jay back by the collar of his shirt, as one of the skeletons swung forward in his direction. Jay yelped, pointing the remote toward the skeleton, and pressing down on the button. 

A portal opened behind the skeleton momentarily, sucking him inside before the portal disappeared into himself.

“It works!” Jay said, excitedly. 

“Yeah. But there’s too many.” Cole took Jay’s arm, forcing him to aim at another creature who had been rushing forward, ready to attack. Jay pressed the button, repeating the process from before. 

“S-Someone is coming.” Clancee called from behind them. He was cowering near the window, doing his best to keep from getting attack. With a few more well aimed presses of the remote’s button, Cole and Jay joined him.

“It’s Garmadon!” Cole smiled. “It’s got to be. I told him. To come help us. In the past.”

“ _Clever,_ ” Jay nodded with appreciation. “That’s great! He can help you guys. I’m going after Krux.”

“What?”

Jay pressed the remote against Cole’s hand, before turning around and heading for the door. He cleared the way with a small attack- one that he hoped would leave Krux’s little army more dazed than hurt.

The pull forward felt even stronger now. He needed to end this. And he needed to end it _now._

“Jay I’m serious!” Cole’s shout somehow reached him through the chaos. Jay burst the door’s lock, forcing it to swing open. “Come back!”

Jay stumbled out into the hall. He didn’t know if it was the adrenaline, or the electricity, or a dangerous combination of both, but as he rushed up the stairs, he moved fast enough for his surroundings to blur.

Jay burst through the roof door, a rush of relief filling him as he broke into the stormy night. It was beginning to drizzle, droplets of water cooling his heated skin. 

He caught sigh of Krux and Acronix. Neither of them were doing much of anything. They were just . . . standing. Jay stumbled to a stop.

“Give it up,” Jay said, because it felt like the right thing to say. The wind rushed through his hair. He could feel static growing around him- but he couldn’t tell if he was the source of it or not. It all made him feel a little stronger. “Whatevr you were planning . . . it’s over. We’re fixing everything. And you two can finish your nice little reunion in Kryptarium.”

“I don’t think so,” Krux said. Acronix glanced up, toward the sky.

“Man. The years were _not_ kind to you, were they?” Jay shook his head, taking another step forward. “You look even older when you’re up beside your brother.”

Krux narrowed his eyes. “Funny.”

“I try,”

“You really do remind me of your mother, you know.” Krux said. “Dr. Gordon never _did_ know when to be serious.”

“Being serious is a bummer. Everything’s a little more fun when there’s smiles.”

“Maybe. But smiles weren’t enough to keep her alive, were they?” Krux’s look of annoyance morphed into one of amusement. Jay did not like it at all. “Did you ever figure out what happened to her?”

Jay didn’t answer. He’d stopped trying to get closer. He was at a loss. Neither of the twins were trying to run away. Neither of them were _doing_ anything. So what other option was there, but to stand and listen?

“What’s your play here, Krux?” Jay asked.

“Ah. We’re just completing a very important circuit. So don’t change the subject.” Krux said. “It was easy to make everyone but me look suspicious. Garmadon and Wu were so wrapped up in their sibling rivalry they didn’t notice anything. And Cyrus was so ready to believe the best of everyone. 

“In the heat of everything, Wu and Garmadon blamed each other. Cyrus looked away. And I got away with it all.” Krux smiled. “It _does_ feel good to finally take credit for your mother’s death, though.”

“What?” Jay felt cold and hot and dizzy and _wrong._ Memories of his mother flashed in and out of focus in his mind. His body began to shake. Anger.

“ _You?_ ” Acronix seemed to be just as shocked as Jay. “You killed Gordon?”

“She was in the way. Plus, it turned out to be a very useful thing to do, in the end. Do you want the city or not?”

“But she-“ Acronix shook his head. He did not continue the argument.

Not that Jay could focus on it, anyway. His mind was beginning to burst at the seams, anger shaping itself into uncontrollable energy. The pull from before returned, stronger this time, and from four different direction at once.

It only added to his frustration.

Jay had only felt this way once before. When he’d thought Cole had died. His thoughts stopped being clear then, and they stop now, too. All he really feels is the strong and irreversible need to destroy.

So . . . he does.

With a growl filled with everything that’s happened in the past few days, Jay splits the sky.

* * *

“Where’s Jay?”

Cole’s eyes snapped to the door, just in time to see Garmadon rush into the chaos. 

“Clancee. Come on. They can keep you safe. I need to go after Jay.” Cole said, taking hold of Clancee’s hand. The moment Cole was close to Garmadon, he pressed the remote into his hand. “Here. You know what this is. I need to-“

“Where’s Jay?” Garmadon repeated.

“I don’t know! He ran up, I think and then- I’m going after him now.”

“Well _hurry._ His powers are causing a storm. And . . . not the average kind. I don’t know what the twins are trying to do, but he’s at the middle of it.”

Cole doesn’t stay to hear more. He can’t run fast enough.

If they want Jay to affect the weather, then they’ll be where the sky can be reached- the roof.

_Jay. Jay. Jay. Jay._ His mind repeated the name in frantic circles as Cole ran up. 

He should _not_ have let Jay run off in the first place! Cole can’t believe he let him out of his sight.

But what do the twins get out of making a super storm? And why use Jay?

The moment Cole rushed past the door and onto the roof, the answer falls right onto his lap.

Clouds swirled above the building. Rain poured against his skin. And the center of it all looked uncomfortably familiar.

It looked just like the time machine. Except this one is considerably larger.

Cole looked away from the clouds long enough to spot Jay and the time twins. Jay was hovering a few feet above the ground, odd chains of lightning connecting him to the sky. Cole could see his eyes were glowing a very, very bright blue.

“Jay!” The word escaped his mouth before he could stop it, taking with it the element of surprise. Both twins turned his way, the stepped forward, blocking the path to Jay. 

Cole frowned against the rain. It was very difficult to see.

“Hello!” Acronix smiled, then showed off the gauntlet strapped to his arm. A quick glance let Cole know that Krux was wearing his, too. Cole’s shoulder stung. The memory of the blade against his skin was still very, very fresh. “You ready for round two?”

_I guess at least these gauntlets can’t control time._ Cole thought.

“There’s no point to round to.” Cole shouted back. “ Garmadon is here. It’s over. We’re sending your army back, Krux. You’re both done for.”

“I don’t think so. Not yet. Not if we can force the whole city _back_ . . . and do it all over again.” Krux smiled. “But for that, we need a powerful energy source. Good thing your little friend is so easily coaxed.”

Cole looked at Jay, then back at the time twins. “Why not just use the time machine you already have?”

“So one of you can follow us, and ruin everything again?” Krux shook his head. 

“We set everything back but ourselves,” Acronix said. “We get the advantage. We beat you, when we couldn’t before. “

“Well, too bad. Because _I’m_ here too. And I’m not letting any of that happen.”

“Guess we’ll just have to get rid of you, then.” Krux said. 

Both twins lunged at him, together. Cole almost forgot to dodge. He was so used to being able to blank out of existence, he forgot that was a luxury he no longer had. In the end, he managed to drop low. But not after receiving two sharp cuts to his sides.

His feet slipped against the wet ground, slamming him down in a rough manner. Darkness flashed in his vision. Cole forced himself to stand.

For a moment, there was nothing between himself and Jay. Cole’s eyes flashed with hope as he hurried to stand. But before he could take a step, he was pulled back by both of his arms, then flung aside. He skidded against the rain, coming to a stop by the edge of the roof.

“Bad idea, friend.” Acronix said. “Aside from it ruining our plans, if you go ahead and try to touch your little friend, you’ll fry right up.”

Cole glanced at Jay. He wondered about the truth in Acronix’s words. 

“I’ll take my chances.” Cole said, and stood again. He could take the twins down. Wounded or not, he knew he could. He’d learned a thing or two, in his years with Garmadon.

They came at him again. But this time, Cole was ready. He avoided Krux’s lunge, then took hold of his arm, flinging him against his twin. Acronix _almost_ fell- but he managed to stand his ground by shoving his brother to the side.

Acronix shot a kick against Cole’s side. But Cole was ready. He avoided the kick with easy, ignoring the sharp waves of pain rattling from his cuts. He then delivered a kick of his own. It landed squarely against Acronix’s chest. A raspy cough was forced out of the man’s chest as he was shot backward.

With the twins momentarily dazed, there was nothing keeping him from Jay. Cole refused to think about Acronix’s warning. He also refused to think about the increasing pressure of electricity that prickled at his skin as he got closer. And he _definitely_ ignored the pain pulsing at the back of his skull as he moved to reach for Jay’s arm.

The pain hit him in an instant. A memory of the car crash flashed through his mind, but this pain- this pain was worse. It’s increasingly powerful, burning every inch of him to the point that he can taste smoke against his tongue. 

Cole gritted his teeth, pulling Jay down with all the strength he had left. One by one, the electric vines snapped, freeing Jay into Cole’s arms.

Cole stayed conscious just long enough to see recognition spark up in Jay’s eyes. Then, the darkness took over. The last thing Cole was able to hear, was Jay’s concerned voice, shouting out his name. 


	18. Now (Forever)

** Chapter Seventeen- Now (Forever) **

** NOW **

Jay shifted in his seat. It was uncomfortably stiff. No matter which side of his body he leaned into, the surface dug up against him. 

“Jay?”

Jay blinked, looking up, suddenly remembering he was supposed to be listening. “Sorry. Yeah. I don’t- I just want to go back to school, maybe. Or take a year off and run around Ninjago. Or . . . anything _other_ than use my powers. Sorry.”

Garmadon and Wu, sitting side by side in front of him, exchanged a glance. They were in Wu’s small office in the NPD. It was very empty- almost as if Wu had never meant to be in this place for long. 

In the end, it was Garmadon that finally spoke. “Okay. Well- I guess you’ve more than shown us you can take care of yourself.”

“That is true.” Wu agreed. “But if you ever wish to be of a little more help to Ninjago . . .”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll let you know if I want to play the hero. But I think for now, I’ve done enough damage.” Jay dug his fingers against the seat. It was good to have something solid to hold on to. “Is that all you needed?”

“Yes. Sorry to have bothered you, Jay.” Garmadon said. Surprisingly, Jay felt like he actually meant it.

“Oh! I do have _one_ more thing.” Wu said, standing to walk over to his desk. He rummaged through one of the drawers, and Jay’s legs began to bounce involuntarily. _What now?_ When Wu straightened, there was nothing terrifying or trouble-worthy in his hand. It was . . . a business card. He held it out in Jay’s direction. “Cyrus said you should give him a call. If you’re still interested in that internship, that is.”

“Are you-“ Jay took the card, blinking at the words _Cyrus Borg_ and the numbers beneath. “Are you serious?”

“Of course. If you’re feeling ready to give it another shot . . .”

“I-“ The words seemed to tangle in Jay’s mouth. _Was_ he ready? He wasn’t sure. Sometimes, the days were good. And sometimes- sometimes guilt and exhaustion and a little bit of heartbreak would overwhelm him without warning. “Maybe. But thank you.”

“Thank _you._ ” Wu said, giving him a small smile. “I’m glad you showed up.”

“Yeah,” Jay said. “Well I’ll- I’ll see you two around.”

With a bit of an awkward wave, Jay exited the office. The NPD was bustling with activity as always. It seemed that, even without villainous twins, Ninjago couldn’t catch a break. 

Strolling out into the city still felt a little weird. After everything that had happened, it felt wrong that everything around him was still . . . the same as it had always been. He was the only one that had changed. 

It made him feel sort of out of place. But he was used to feeling out of place. He’d always been an outsider in the city anyway, even if he’d somehow managed to forget the fact when he’d walk the streets hand in hand with Cole. 

Cole.

Bubbles of guilt shuddered around his chest. Jay hissed out a breath. Only a few weeks had passed since the electric showdown on _OverCorp’_ s roof. It was all still too fresh, too real. The memories were sharp and vivid, as if the moment had never really ended. 

For a moment, with the lightning wrapped around him from every angle, Jay had felt . . . oddly complete. There was no dissonance in between himself and his abilities. 

And then, a rough pull had landed him right back down to earth. Both literally and figuratively. It had taken Jay a few seconds to understand what had happened. His memories were wildly fractured, and he couldn’t remember how he’d ended up where he was.

Then he’d spotted Cole. And-

Jay shook his head. He didn’t want the memory to take over. He was getting better at keeping his emotions from reacting with his abilities, but it was better not to tempt fate. 

Besides. There would be time for thinking later. Right now, he had a very important date to keep. Jay walked forward the last few steps, slipping through a pair of sliding doors.

And into West End Hospital.

* * *

Acronix had many regrets.

Fortunately, he’d also have a _lot_ of time to mull over said regrets. To turn them side to side, up and down, to _really_ look at every angle of the things he could’ve done a little better. Nothing like what if’s to keep you from enjoying your existence. 

Unfortunately though, he didn’t get to enjoy his miserable time all by himself. Krux was right there with him. And unlike Acronix, Krux did not seem to know how to brood in silence.

“We were close. So close.” Krux said. Just as he’d said a hundred times before. Just as he’d say a hundred times after. 

He wasn’t wrong, Acronix would give him that. For a second, Acronix had truly believed that everything would be theirs. Ninjago, _Time . . ._ They’d be the biggest threat there ever was or ever would be. 

“Maybe if we-“

“Maybe if we didn’t cause any trouble, we won’t have to spend our lives in Kryptarium.” Acronix finally snapped, sitting up from his bed. If you could _call_ it a bed. It was a block of metal at best. “I don’t want to spend the rest of my life doing nothing. I wanna see the city!”

“There’s nothing out there worth seeing, trust me.”

“Would be nice to decide that for myself.”

“Be a good boy then.” Krux rolled his eyes. “Play their games. I’m sure Wu would love it.”

“Maybe he would. What does it matter anymore? We failed and he’s out there and, I don’t know, what do we get out of giving up on a second chance?”

“The only reason I’d take another chance is to get back at that self-important Brookstone boy. If he hadn’t-“

“Hadn’t show up and ruined everything we’d be ruling Ninjago by now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ve heard it. Would be nice if you find something else to say.” Acronix said. “You’re too bitter.”

“And you’re a coward for giving up so easily.”

“Giving up? We’re in the highest security prison in Ninjago! It isn’t giving up if you already _lost._ ”

“We’re alive, aren’t we? We’re together. I wouldn’t say we’ve _lost._ Now, if we can come up with a plan that-“

Acronix sighed. He did his best to tune out the extravagantly ridiculous plans his twin refused to stop coming up with.

It was going to be a long day. And so would the day after. And the day after that . . .

,

* * *

Sometimes, Cole wondered if he hadn’t fallen into the time vortex after all.

Each tick of the clock was so impossible slow, that it might as well not be moving at all. 

He was confined to his bed, and _would_ be confined to his bed for a few more weeks. Leaping right into the arms of Jay’s powers hadn’t been the best idea he’d ever had. His body had wound up coated in slow healing burns- both inside and out of his body. 

Luckily enough, there hadn’t been any permanent damage. Just a few persistent aches that would now come and go for the rest of his life. Cole had, once again, gotten close enough to high five death and had, once again, walked away from its grasp.

Since he was still allegedly dead according to the hospital records, he’d been checked into the hospital under a different name. Rocky Dangerbuff. A name he’d used as a joke at one time or another, that Jay had somehow magically remembered at just the right moment. 

Speaking of Jay, he was late. Again. Cole shifted in his bed to get a better look at the clock hanging on the wall. Yeah. Definitely late. Thirty seconds late, to be precise. 

Thirty one . . .

Thirty two . . .

“Hey, Cole!”

Cole’s heart momentarily swelled in his chest at the sound of Jay’s voice. Just like it had always done. “You’re late.”

“Am not!” Jay protested, glancing at the small watch around his wrist. “It’s _exactly_ 3.”

“Not _exactly,_ ” Cole said, pointing at the clock on the wall. “You were thirty two seconds late. Thirty two, Jay.”

“You’re absolutely impossible and I hate you.” Jay said with a roll of his eyes. He then stepped forward, planting a long kiss upon Cole’s lips. “How’s today been?”

“Just the same as all the other days. Boring.” Cole said. Guilt flashed over Jay’s eyes. “I mean, you know, I’m glad to finally get the hundred naps I’m definitely owed after all I had to do. Plus the nurse, Pixal, she’s the absolute best. Trust me, I could talk to her for hours and not get tired of it.”

“Should I be jealous?”

“Only if you’re an idiot.”

“Ah, good then. Because I’m an absolute genius.” Jay fumbled to get something out of his pocket. He then flashed a business card in front of Cole’s face. A bit too close for him to see anything more than a blur. “Cyrus Borg wants me to call him! He’s still interested in the whole internship thing! I’d thought that had only been all just Krux trying to get me but- . . . Wu said he’s still interested.”

“That’s amazing. So, have you called him yet?”

“Ah . . . no.” Jay stepped away from Cole’s bed. “I mean, I want to but- I don’t know. I feel like maybe I’ve done _too_ much for Ninjago as is.”

“None of it was your fault though.”

“Sort of _was_ though.” Jay shrugged. “Plus I’m terrified. What if I come up with something amazing, just for it to fall into the wrong hands? And then I get killed for it? And then my kids have to suffer through the consequences of my actions?”

“Children? How many?”

Jay rolled his eyes again. He did that a lot. Or maybe Cole was just exceptionally good at frustrating him. “You know that’s not my point.”

“I know. But Jay- . . . You can’t just be so terrified you end up doing nothing. If there’s anything I’ve learned, is that fear only makes things worse. Next thing I know it’ll be _you_ faking your death next.”

“Ugh. Don’t tempt me.”

Cole held his hand out for Jay to take. Jay hesitated for a moment, before slipping his fingers into Cole’s own. Cole pulled him closer. “I love you, okay? Now and forever and in every universe. And you know why I love you?”

“Because I’m incredibly attractive?”

“You wish. _I’m_ the hot one,” Cole said. “But joke’s aside, I love you because you’re the most incredibly persistent person I’ve ever met. You have ups and you have downs and you cry and kick and protest but . . . you keep going. You always keep going.

“I get that it’s a little scary but- It’s something you’ve always wanted to do. You shouldn’t pass up the chance.” Cole gave Jay’s hand a small squeeze. “But if you _really_ don’t want to do it- that’s okay too. We’ll just have to find you a brand-new dream.”

Jay was silent for a while. Cole could almost see the thoughts and connections bouncing around his bright blue eyes. “I _do_ want to do it . . . but only if I get to hold your hand at the end of the day.”

“My hand’s all yours, freckles.” Cole smiled. “Always has been.”

  



End file.
